Turning Back
by Loopstagirl
Summary: They knew the search for Morgana would be dangerous. But with everything seemingly out to get them, none of them could quite comprehend what fate had planned.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Funnily enough, in the few days since my last story, I still haven't gained ownership of anyone, all still belong to the BBC**

**This is kind of something to fit inbetween series 2 & 3, based on the epic trailer for series 3. I seriously cannot wait until the weekend!**

**I know I've used the same names for my Knights as i did in my last story, but they are not the same characters - as in, these ones aren't bullies!**

**Please let me know what you think?**

"Arthur!" Softly calling his master, Merlin nudged his horse into a trot, determined to catch up with the prince. Luckily, the remaining Knights had fallen behind, exhaustion alone making their horses stumble, not to mention the numerous injuries they all seemed to be supporting. Arthur was riding alone ahead, snapping at nearly anyone who approached him. All of his men knew why though, knew he was feeling responsible for their recent losses on this never ending quest.

"Arthur, we have to turn back. Sir Owain's wound looks like it is becoming infected and Sir Gawain is struggling, his leg looks like it is broken."

"You're no physician, Merlin." Arthur snapped, not taking his eyes off the path ahead as he pushed his horse onwards, despite the fact that none of them had slept for days.

"For God's sake, Arthur, you'll kill us all if you carry on like this." That eventually got the prince's attention, causing him to reign in his animal suddenly and glaring at his servant.

"Who are you to tell me what will happen? You're not a Knight, not a scout, Merlin, you are a servant." Ignoring the stinging blow behind Arthur's words, Merlin reminded himself for the hundredth time that day it was just because the prince was tired and angry, he didn't really mean it. He just knew that he would have better luck taking out his frustrations on his servant than any of the Knights, they were more likely to just agree with him.

"Arthur, I know you." Merlin began softly, his blue eyes glittering with concern for the welfare of the men around him. Over the last few months, he had gotten to know them considerable well as they were sent on quest after quest, and they in return had begun to treat him as more than just Arthur's servant, especially as he had saved all of their lives more than once. Not that any of them knew how the clumsy boy had managed to do so, however.

"I can see the state of you, of all us. Even the horses aren't going to make it if we keep it up like this. When was the last time you slept in a bed, and had a proper night's sleep without having to stand guard for part of it?"

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur growled, swinging his horse around and once again nudging the poor creature into moving forward. The steed's head was hanging low, holding it up took more energy than he had left.

Sighing irritably at the fact the prince was still as stubborn as ever, Merlin followed, wondering whether it was quite a good idea or not. Arthur didn't have the longest temper at the best of times, let alone when he was in this mood. But the warlock knew he had a point. None of them had slept in Camelot for more than a night in three months, and with the wounded among them, both the prince and the servant had to be included in the rota of keeping watch in order for everyone to be able to catch a little sleep. But the exhaustion was beginning to catch up on them, and considering it was still dark when they had broken camp that morning, Merlin knew winter was fast approaching. If they had any chance of succeeding, they needed time to recuperate.

"Sire, please, just listen." Hearing Arthur's irritable sigh as Merlin once more rode side by side with him, the servant bit his lip, wondering whether he was indeed pushing this too far. However, when Arthur didn't say anything more, he pushed on anxiously.

"If we go back now, we can rest for a week, gather winter supplies and head out in a few days. Give the men the chance to see their families and sleep in an actual bed and we can draw up a new plan. Face it, Arthur, we are no closer to finding her than when we set out all those months ago."

"How would you know, Merlin, you don't know the slightest thing about hunting. And besides, it was my father's orders that we don't stop until we find Morgana."

Shutting his eyes in dismay, Merlin sighed deeply himself, pinching the bridge of his nose wearily. He knew full well Arthur wasn't even sure if the Lady Morgana would still be alive, she had been unconscious in the arms of his enemy the last time he had set eyes on the woman who had been almost a sister to him. Merlin knew differently, however, and despite Arthur's concern for her, knew that they really didn't want to find her. There was no telling what Morgause had done. Morgana had been aware of her magic before she had disappeared, and had already been using the knowledge that Uther would execute her if he should find out as an excuse to join forces with his enemies. A year later, and under the guidance of Morgause? There was no telling what she would be like now. Not to mention the fact the last time the servant and the King's ward were together, he had poisoned her, something Morgause had been all too aware of. No, despite the King's orders, Merlin knew they really didn't want to find her.

"Arthur, if we don't stop, he'll have to send out search parties for you too before long." The warlock said quietly, hoping to make the prince realise quite what he was doing.

"Sire!" The frantic shout from behind them had Merlin break off in trying to convince the prince and for them both to turn simultaneously back towards the rest of the Knights. The majority of them had dismounted, and rushing back towards them, Merlin saw why. Sir Owain was lying on the floor, beginnings of a fever ravaging his body as he shook with cold. The other men had tried to wrap a blanket around him, but the knight had thrown it off, declaring that he was far too hot. Immediately slipping from his horse, Merlin dropped to his knees beside the fallen man. Arthur was right in saying the servant was no physician, but having been living with Gaius all of this time, he was more qualified than anyone else present.

"Sir Leon, could you possibly fetch the willow bark from my saddle bag?" Merlin asked softly, his anxious eyes checking over the fallen man. He had managed to gather a few supplies on their travels, only the basics, but the ones he actually knew what to do with. The warlock knew full well if he tried something without being certain, it could spell disaster, Gaius had driven that into him. Leon jumped to do as he was asked, a clear indication of how much their view of the servant had changed in the few months. After Merlin had somehow pulled Gawain back from the brink of death when he had been assaulted by a fever, he had become a respected member of their group rather than just tagging along to cook the dinner.

"Here, Merlin." Handling the servant the bundle, the knight stepped back again, forming a circle around the pair with the rest of the men. It didn't escape Merlin's notice that Arthur had been left outside the circle, his reluctance to come forward meant the others had reacted without him leading them.

Crushing the bark in his hand to make more of a paste, Merlin then carefully slipped some onto Owain's tongue before wrapping the blanket back around him,

"Too hot," The knight muttered, trying to shrug it off again. The servant, however, stayed firm, keeping it securely around his shoulders.

"You have to sweat it out, you'll be fine if you keep the blanket on," he told him firmly, helping Owain up and back onto his horse as he did so. To the Knight's amusement, their comrade, whilst muttering sullenly, did as he was told. Despite the fact that the person giving the orders was the lowest ranking person of their party, was just a mere servant.

The party had just set off again, Arthur, silently fuming at the fact his men were listening to his servant more than him nowadays, taking up the rear this time. Merlin was just in front of him, clearly trying to work out whether or not he should resume trying to convince the prince they should turn back. To Arthur's relief, he didn't. He knew was running a huge risk keeping the men out for so long without a proper sleep or even a decent sized meal. But he knew his father was slowly losing his grip on sanity as the search for his missing ward continued, and Arthur was afraid that if he returned with no news again, the King would be lost.

The party hadn't been travelling long when suddenly, Sir Percival, who was leading this time, let out a shout of alarm seconds before a group of bandits jumped on the party. Three men were pulled from their horses before the Knights had time to react, but their comrades were only seconds behind, jumping down with swords drawn, coming to their rescue. Arthur calmly stayed on his horse, crossbow in hand as he used his remaining arrows to pick off as many of the bandits as possible, before he too was forced to jump down, sword in hand.

The fight lasted only a matter of moments before the remaining bandits fled back into the trees. They had only managed to succeed in getting the men from their horses in the first place because the Knights were wearied by their travels, but even they remembered their training in the face of an attack. Panting slightly with the rush adrenaline, Arthur sheathed his sword again, feeling more awake and vibrant than he had done for days. Glancing around his men, he could tell instantly they felt the same, wide smiles on their faces as they grabbed the reigns of their mounts before the horses were lost in the forest.

"Well done, men." Arthur called over, his own smile firmly in place.

"We showed them, Sire!" Percival called back, helping Gawain back onto his horse. How on earth the Knight had managed to not get hurt considering he was restricted to using only one leg was beyond Arthur, yet him and Owain had a pile of bandits by their feet. It was indeed true that nothing could hold a Knight of Camelot back when there was a threat. Watching as his men remount, Arthur suddenly frowned. Out of all of them, there was one who would not have a wide grin on his face after a fight, more of a disapproving frown as he watched the men congratulate each other for killing the enemy. But Merlin was nowhere to be seen.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled into the clearing, sensing more than seeing the rest of his men turn towards him, their smiles disappearing as they too realised the absence of one of their number.

"Merlin, where are you? Stop being such a girl, the fight is over. Merlin!" Despite his words, Arthur's tone was one full of concern. Whilst the warlock had been a great help to them on their travels, the prince still felt responsible for him, he had promised Gaius to take care of the clumsy fool, and despite being in the presence of so many knights, the servant had yet to master using a sword.

"Merlin!" True fear beginning to lace his tone as Arthur began scouting the area around them, the prince paused, trying to remember exactly what happened at the beginning of the fight. Percival had called the alarm, and many of the men had jumped from their horses. Arthur had been preoccupied pulling his crossbow out, but he was sure he hadn't seen Merlin jump down. Double checking behind him, Arthur confirmed his suspicions, the servant's horse was still in front of his own, just missing its rider.

"Damn it, Merlin, what have you done now?" The prince muttered quietly, trying to hide from his men how worried he was. Merlin had been trying to make him turn back, if he had only listened, the servant would be safe.

"Don't worry, Sire, we'll find him." Laying a comforting hand on the prince's shoulder, Leon swiftly began giving orders to the men, spreading them out in all directions to search for the missing boy. Watching them spread out, Arthur couldn't help a small smile making its way onto his face, he had certainly chosen the twelve of them well. Not all of his Knights would have been prepared to look for Merlin, some would have wanted to leave straight away and leave the boy to the wilderness.

Beginning his own search, the prince looked under every bush, behind every tree, but to no avail. He felt like he had been searching for hours, trying to keep down the horrible thoughts regarding the fact the warlock may already be dead when a shout from behind him caused Arthur to go sprinting in that direction.

"I found him!"

Barrelling his way through his men, Arthur dropped to his knees beside Leon, his breath catching in his throat as he caught sight of the motionless figure sprawled on the ground.

"Merlin?" Arthur whispered, not caring if the men heard the small crack in his voice. Crawling forward, he grabbed the still hand in his own, desperately trying to feel for a pulse.

"It's alright, Arthur, he is alive." Leon muttered quietly, being close enough to see the anguish in the prince's face. "He's bleeding though, do any of us know what to do for a head wound?"

"No, only Merlin." Biting his lip as he watched the pale face, Arthur desperately wanted his servant to wake up and tell him what he was supposed to do. And then, as if someone had lit a candle in his mind, the prince knew. Merlin had told him, he had been telling him for days, only Arthur had been too focused on their mission to listen.

"We need to get him to Gaius."

"But Sire," Leon protested, confusion evident in his eyes. None of them had dared mention returning home apart from Merlin, they knew how much this quest meant to Arthur. "That would mean going back to Camelot."

"Indeed it would. But Merlin is the only one with any medical knowledge, and much as it pains me to admit it, we need him. And we all need a break." Adding the last part on under his breath, Arthur stood up. Bending over Merlin's fallen form, the prince slung his servant across his back before striding past his Knights and back to the horses.

"We ride for Camelot immediately," he called over his shoulder at the men, almost feeling a wave of relief radiating from them. He couldn't blame them though, he too was more than desperate to seek the sanctuary of his own home, they had been in the forest for far too long.

Tying the reigns of Merlin's horse onto his own, Arthur then placed his servant over the animal, making sure he wasn't going to slip from the saddle. Little did he know he was doing exactly the same thing his servant had done for him when they were searching for Balinor. Giving his own horse a small tap with his heel, Arthur turned the animal around, heading back towards home. The horses almost seemed to have realised they could return to their nice stables, and it took all of the prince's control to keep his horse going at a trot, he didn't think it would bode well for Merlin if they began to canter.

The Knights rode all through the day and all through that night as well, their desperation to reach home and collapse in their own beds meant they were not prepared to stop again. Even Owain, his teeth chattering dully as he shivered, didn't complain once, knowing it was partly thanks to the unconscious boy that he was still in as good as shape as he was.

They made good time. By dawn the following morning, Percival gave a shout of glee, sounding like a little boy as he spurred his horse on, bringing the welcome sight of Camelot into their vision. Without a word, Arthur glanced over to check on Merlin, who had yet to regain consciousness, and then the whole group broke into a canter. Sir Tristam quickly pulled ahead, his boyish enthusiasm quickly rubbing off on them all as they hurtled towards their destination, racing and laughing the whole way. As soon as they entered the gates, however, they all slotted back in behind Arthur, trying to act like Knights rather than boys, yet the grins could not be wiped off their faces. The news of their arrival spread through the city like wildfire, and the party was given a warm welcome as they trotted through.

Whilst he was enjoying seeing his Knights so laid back and relaxed after the hardships they had been through, Arthur could not smile. He was not only dreading his father's reaction, but also that of Gaius. He knew that whilst the physician would never say in words he blamed the prince for his ward being hurt, Arthur knew he would be thinking it. They should have returned weeks ago when the weather began to turn, replenished their almost nonexistent supplies and gone out prepared.

"Sire," Leon suddenly said softly, riding up alongside his prince. As Arthur glanced over, the Knight nodded in the direction of the castle steps. Arthur had been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't seen the King stride out onto the steps, a fierce hope burning in his eyes when he saw them approach. As Arthur watched, his eyes scanned over the men, and on not seeing his ward present, Uther disappeared back through the castle doors, not even staying outside to greet his son. Before he could say anything though, a small girl ran in front of his horse, making the prince react quickly to not trample her.

"Daddy!" She squealed happily, and before Arthur could so much as blink, Percival was down from his horse, scooping his daughter into his arms and spinning her around, laughing gleefully. As the child's delighted laugh bounced around the courtyard, the other knights dismounted, greeting their families who had followed them into the courtyard, but waiting until their loved ones were formally dismissed.

"Owain and Gawain, I want you to both see Gaius before you return home. The rest of you, meet me on the training field in three days time to discuss what happens next."

His last orders given, Arthur wearily lead his horse through to the stables. Handing the reigns over to the eagerly awaiting boy, the prince then slid his servant from the back of the animal before handing over Merlin's reigns as well. Tossing the boy the last gold coin in his pocket, Arthur smiled at the dumbfounded look on his face.

"I want you to give them the best treatment you've ever done, understand?"

"Yes, Sire!" The boy exclaimed happily, tucking the coin into his pocket and leading the beasts into the stables. For a moment, Arthur felt sad having his horse out of his sight, but soon pushed the thought away. Once more slinging Merlin across his shoulders, the prince made his way up to the physician's chambers, knowing if his father had wanted to see him immediately, he would have waited on the steps.

The walk to the physician's chambers was a lot longer than Arthur remembered, his weary legs almost threatening to give out on him more than once, not helped by the added weight he was carrying. Not that it was a lot, in fact, Merlin seemed skinnier than ever. Another thing to have emerged with being away from the castle for so long. Nudging the door open with his foot, Arthur backed into the room, only pulling up short when he was Owain and Gawain were both already there.

"Sire," the both said in unison, bowing their heads respectively. A fresh bandage was tied around Gawain's leg, but judging by the way he was holding it, Merlin had been wrong in his prediction of it being broken, something Arthur was thankful about. Owain too had a fresh set of bandages, the empty goblet and the grimace on his face showing he had been treated to one of Gaius' vile potions. The physician himself was in the corner of the room, his back to the door as he searched for something meaning he was not aware of the prince's arrival until the Knights spoke.

Spinning around as quick as his aching bones would let him, Gaius barely seemed to notice the prince, his eyes locked on the unconscious form swung over Arthur's shoulder instead.

"Merlin?" The physician whispered, his voice betraying his concern as he stumbled across the room. Between the two of them, they soon had the servant lying down on the bed, Arthur inwardly wincing when he saw just how pale he was.

"How long as he been unconscious?" Gaius snapped, his worry meaning he had forgotten who he was talking too. Arthur didn't mind though, he too was more worried about his servant than about formalities.

"Just over a day." The prince muttered quietly, although to his surprise, Gaius seemed to sag in relief at that.

"I was expecting worse. From what your Knights have told me, none of you have slept for a while. That is probably why he has yet to wake up. The wound does not look bad."

"So Merlin's basically asleep?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised in incredulity. He was going to kill the black haired boy. He had been practically out of his mind with worry that the warlock was dead, and in actual fact he had been having a rest.

"Not quite, but technical yes. Sir Owain, you are free to go. Come back to me tomorrow to change the bandages, plenty of food and rest and you will be fine. And can you help Sir Gawain home as well?"

As the two Knights stood and walked – or in Gawain's case- limped out of the room, Arthur suddenly stopped them at the door. Putting a hand on each of their shoulders, he smiled at them gratefully.

"You did well."

"My Lord," they acknowledged, smiles of their own appearing as they left. As soon as they had gone, Arthur felt his own exhaustion crashing back down on him now he had no one watching. Gaius didn't count, he had seen the prince at his worst almost more times than Arthur himself had, what with more often than not being unconscious at the time. Expecting the lecture from the man about his responsibilities regarding the way he had pushed the men, the prince studied his boots, not having the courage to face him. He knew it was his fault Merlin was out cold, he had promised to look after the clumsy fool, and look at what had happened. He just wasn't sure whether he could hear it coming from of the few people in Camelot Arthur had the deepest respect for.

So when a comforting hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder and a stool was shoved roughly behind his knees just as his legs gave way, Arthur was more than surprised. Finally looking up, Arthur was amazed to see Gaius crouched in front of him, concern etched into his face, no blame at all present. And that was what proved to be the prince's undoing.

As he gazed into Gaius's concerned face, Arthur, to his shame, felt his eyes fill with tears. Two of his knights were injured, as well as Merlin, three had been killed since they left on the quest, he hadn't eaten or slept in two days and even before then, it hadn't been enough. His father was disappointed in him and he had yet to find Morgana. And on top of all of that, Gaius didn't blame him for the injuries inflicted upon his ward. Angrily brushing the tears away, the prince rested his head in his hands, feeling utterly spent. A headache was beginning to build behind his eyes, and despite his body craving sleep, Arthur knew it would not come, he was too exhausted to be able to surrender to the pull of it.

"Here, drink this." With a sigh, Arthur pulled his head upright again, his eyes just about being able to focus on the small bottle Gaius was waving in front of his face. Taking it, Arthur registered his hand was shaking before the bottle fell from his weak grasp, splintering onto the floor.

"Sorry," Arthur muttered, feeling ashamed once again. What was going on with him at the moment?

"Let's try again?" Gaius asked soothingly, his voice light and relaxed. Reaching into the small cupboard, he pulled out a new one, only this time helped the prince down the contents. For a moment, he watched Arthur with narrow eyes, before the young man suddenly slumped forward in his seat. Diving forward with a speed he didn't know he possessed, Gaius caught Arthur around the chest, stopping him from falling. Rolling him over and checking his airways, the physician nodded in satisfaction as Arthur fell into a deeper sleep. It hadn't originally been Gaius' intention to send Arthur to sleep, but he could tell the headache that was building for the prince and how broken he was looking. He could also see in his eyes that Arthur blamed himself for everything that had happened to his men and the fact that Morgana had not yet been found. Gaius knew that was because what had once been a fiery, yet passionate young woman did not want to be found, not because of lack of trying on the prince's behalf. Gently cradling the his head in his lap, Gaius called for the guards to help him carry Arthur back to his own chambers, hoping that some time in his own bed would mend the haunted look in his eye. It was still only early morning, but with the aid of the potion, Gaius knew Arthur would sleep straight through until the following morning. It would just be up to the physician to tell the King he could not speak with his son.

Just as the guards carried the prince out, a low moan sounded throughout the chambers, causing Gaius to turn sharply on his heel to see Merlin beginning to stir. Within an instant, he was by the warlock's side, encouraging his ward to open his eyes. With a sigh of relief, Gaius sat back in his chair as Merlin did indeed comply, the welcome flicker of blue relieving the physician more than he realised. He had told Arthur that his servant was going to be fine, yet if he was honest, he had not believed it himself until he was his ward peering in confusion back at him.

"Gaius?" Merlin croaked, his voice dry from not drinking for two days. He must have hit his head harder than he had thought, for he was sure he was staring at the physician.

"What happened? Where am I? Where's Arthur…I have to find Arthur!" Starting to get slightly alarmed, Merlin quickly pushed himself upright, only to have a firm hand on his shoulder stopping him from going any further. Strangely enough, the hand felt remarkably real.

"Shh, my boy, it's alright. Arthur is asleep. And yes, you are back in Camelot, you are home, Merlin. As for what happened, from what I gather, the group was set upon by bandits and you were knocked out. The Knights then returned home, and here you are."

What Gaius didn't say, however, was how the prince was nearly beside himself with worry that there was something really seriously wrong with Merlin. Nor the fact that both Gawain and Owain had been telling him about how Merlin's skills as a physician had grown during their travels, something Gaius could see for his own eyes. If it wasn't for the way the wound on Owain's arm had been cleaned, infection would have set in long ago. Blinking his suddenly misty eyes, Gaius turned away, clearing his throat in a self conscious manner. There were still times when he found voicing his pride for his young charge slightly awkward.

"Gaius?" Turning back again, Gaius frowned in concern as Merlin's words slurred more, his eyes shutting again.

"Stay awake for me, Merlin, I need to check you over."

"M'fine," Merlin muttered, not being able to resist the pull of sleep any longer. Relaxing back into the pillows once more now he knew the prince was safe, Merlin sighed deeply, allowing the strains of the quest to leave him.

"You sleep, Merlin. I'll be right here when you wake up." A small smile made its way onto Merlin's face before he completely sagged, a deep sleep claiming him immediately.

"I'm proud of you, my boy." Gaius whispered, running his hand through Merlin's untidy hair in an uncharacteristic display of affection. The group had been gone so long Gaius truly thought he had lost the boy this time, especially seeing him come back in the state he was. It would be good to have him home.

Checking he was definitely asleep, Gaius silently stood. He meant what he had promised the warlock about being there when he woke up again, but knowing that was going to be a while, the physician had a report to deliver to the king, hoping it would make him realise the danger he was sending his heir into each time they left Camelot.

MMMM

Arthur couldn't remember the last time he had felt this warm or content, sleep just beginning to wear away for the prince. He was slowly becoming conscious of things going on around him, but had not yet plucked up the courage to open his eyes. He knew there was someone else in the room, yet assuming it was Gaius, Arthur was more than happy to just return to his dreams.

Suddenly, a gentle hand carefully brushed his hair back from his forehead, the hand resting momentarily atop his head in a tender gesture. _That's weird _, Arthur couldn't help but think. There was no way it was Gaius in the room with him then.

"What have I driven you too, Arthur?" A concerned voice whispered above him , sounding close to breaking. "I've pushed and pushed you, and look what has happened."

Forcing his eyes open, Arthur found himself staring at his father, perched on the edge of the bed, but gazing off into space, not seeming to notice his hand was still resting on his son. The King was looking worse than Arthur remembered, and he hadn't exactly been looking good the last time the prince had lain eyes on his father, driven to desperation in searching for his ward.

"Father?" Arthur croaked quietly, shifting slightly under the covers. His covers. Frowning in confusion, Arthur didn't notice the hand disappear as Uther looked down at his son, relief in seeing him awake apparent in his eyes. Arthur, however, was too busy looking around his room in confusion.

"How did I get here?" he asked, somewhat thickly. "I thought I was at Gaius'. And then I think I fell asleep."

"You did, Arthur. The guards carried you back. And Gaius may have had more of a hand in you falling asleep than you perhaps realise."

Smiling in amusement, Arthur pushed himself upright, propping his pillows up behind him and leaning back on them with a sigh. He still felt exhausted. Glancing towards the window, Arthur blinked in surprise at the early morning sun coming through the drapes. It had been early morning when they had arrived back in Camelot, meaning he must have slept for an entire day. No wonder he felt hungry.

"I shall leave you to rest, Arthur. Report to me in four days time." And so saying, the King strode from the room, the affection he had shown when Arthur was asleep once more buried within him. But the prince didn't mind, for he had felt the touch, heard his father's words. He had shown enough to make the young man realise quite how concerned his father had been about his welfare.

A few hours later, and Arthur once more found himself outside the door to the physician's chambers. He had had a leisurely morning, eating a huge breakfast before sinking into a bath, thankful to be washing the dirt and grime from the quest away. Dressing in warm clothes, the prince couldn't help but feel a lot more light hearted now he was home. Maybe Merlin had been right, maybe they should have returned weeks ago, then the injuries everyone had sustained would have been less if the Knights had been well trained. Running a hand through his hair, Arthur knocked softly on the door, letting himself in before Gaius had a chance to answer.

The physician was sitting at his workbench, his quill scratching away as he filled in reports. Glancing up as the prince entered, he smiled in welcome, pushing a stool over with his foot. Arthur, however, ignored it, glancing over at the bed where Merlin still was, his eyes shut.

"Is he still-?"

"No, he is just asleep. He has woken up a couple of times over the last few hours, he is fine, just exhausted."

"He isn't the only one," Arthur muttered, sitting down on the stool wearily. He had slept for over a day, and yet still had no absolutely no energy whatsoever.

"It'll take a couple of days before you are back to your full strength, Sire, it has been a trying few months."

"I guess," Arthur sighed, rubbing his hand over his eyes and trying to stifle a yawn. "Gaius, I wanted to apologise. I promised I would look after him, and look what happened. I should have turned back when Merlin told me too. I didn't listen to him and he paid the price."

"Arthur-,"

"And he has done so well, not only keeping up with us, but his medical knowledge, Gaius, it's amazing. He saved all of our lives more than once, cured Percival when he ate poisonous berries, stopped numerous infections…"

"Arthur-,"

"No, Gaius, I want you to know how much we are indebted to him."

"That was quite some speech, Sire." A cheerful voice sounded from behind him, causing Arthur to spin around sharply, the top of his ears going red. Merlin pushed himself upright, leaning on his elbow as he regarded the prince in amusement. His eyes, however, gave away what he was really feeling, gratitude at the prince for appreciating his talents on the quest.

"He's awake." Gaius finally managed to say, chortling at the embarrassed look on Arthur's face. As Merlin joined in, Arthur eventually too started laughing, causing Gaius to lean back in satisfaction. It was indeed good to have them home.

**Why does Merlin always get hurt or end up unconscious in my stories? Ops!**

**Anyway, you know what to do, there is the magic button!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry, quite a long AN here. First of all, this was initially going to be a one-shot, but because of all your lovely reviews and so many people putting it on alert, I got thinking and have decided to continue it. This means for the first time, I am writing at the same time as posting, never done that before. The other problem is that I'm leaving for university next week, so things are going to get a bit hetic. So, what I decided is that I'm making the chapters longer than I used to, aiming each at about 5,000 words and I'll try and post once a week or so, keeping it steady. I've written the first five (20,000 words in three days, I surprised myself) and will keep writing as much as I can, but things might slow down in a while, so apologies in advance.**

**The other thing is i want to say here this is going to take place before Series 3, so anything that happens in tomorrows first episode is going to be set afterwards. Any of you who have read Casket of Ardon will remember how the last episode completely undermined my story, so I'm detaching it now from anything that might happen.**

**Anyway, enjoy chapter two. **

"Sire? Are you awake?" Tiptoeing into Arthur's room and trying to stifle a yawn, Merlin grinned at the sight of the prince still fast asleep. It was not something he had seen a lot of recently, one of them always being busy before dawn with preparations to break camp. Moving with a silence he didn't know he possessed around Arthur's unnaturally tidy room, Merlin set about gathering a change of clothes for the prince. It was unnerving for his room to be this tidy, but due to the fact no one had been in it for so long, it had remained clean since the last time the servant had stumbled through the task. Not that Merlin was moaning, however, it meant he had a job less to do, but still, it just showed quite how much had been missing around the castle lately.

The warlock managed to do the majority of his chores in silence, but then, just as Merlin was beginning to thank his good luck, his foot caught around the strap of Arthur's armour dangling precariously from the table. Unable to stop it, Merlin squeezed his eyes shut as it began to fall. The tangled mess on the table, however, meant that everything was set crashing down to the floor. Never mind waking Arthur up, Merlin would be lucky if it didn't awaken the whole castle, sending the guards running to their prince's room for fear of attack.

"_Mer_lin!"

"Good morning, Sire." Merlin called over, trying to sound as cheerful as possible as he quickly swept the offending items into his arms and hefted the whole lot back on the table. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Arthur sitting up blearily, running a hand through his tussled locks as he blinked the sleep from his eyes, all the while managing to glare spectacularly at his servant. Out in the forest, Merlin hadn't seemed nearly as clumsy. Sure, he was constantly tripping over roots, crashing into trees and getting stuck in bushes, but most of those things were silent, apart from the colourful language coming from the servant. Back in the castle, however, the stone floors tended to amplify everything.

"What are you doing here so early, Merlin?" Arthur moaned, flopping back down on the bed and sighing deeply. He had been in such a warm and comfortable position, and then his buffoon of a servant had decided to come and wake him up. He was sure he had ordered the boy to take it easy for a few days, knowing that Merlin, like the rest of them, needed time to recuperate.

"You have a meeting with the men." Merlin supplied helpfully, ripping the curtains apart with a flourish and allowing the sunlight to fall onto the prince, making Arthur groan even more and roll over. Smirking, Merlin picked up the breakfast tray and dumped it unceremoniously on the Arthur's lap, knowing the smell wafting from the food would be enough to make the prince's brain start registering what he needed to do. As he slowly sat back up again, Arthur's brain woke up enough for him realise what Merlin had just said, immediately bringing a touch of a smile to his lips. His servant no longer saw the others as Knights, men that outranked him in position and skill, but as comrades, ones he had danced to the tune of death with, ones allowing mutual respect between peasant and nobility in a way not done before. Ones, Arthur knew almost without a doubt, Merlin would risk practically anything to save, meaning the prince had to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn't do anything foolish. Merlin had always had a talent of trying to sacrifice himself if he thought it could save another life, not taking into consideration that others, even the prince, thought the servant's life was worth just as much. Not that Arthur would ever tell the boy who had just managed to stumble over his own feet and was now sitting with a bemused expression on the prince's floor that though.

"Finish packing whilst I dress, Merlin." Arthur ordered, slipping back into the role he had spent his whole life in. Over the last couple of months, it wasn't only Merlin's position that had changed, Arthur was no longer seen as the prince, but one of them. He was part of the group, not its leader. Whilst he couldn't explain it, despite what was going on around them, Arthur had never felt as accepted in his whole life as he did now. He knew the men would listen to him as Arthur, not as the Crown Prince.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin responded automatically, stopping what he was doing and heading towards the two packs resting in the corner of the room. Merlin had bought his own straight back to the prince's chambers after he had washed and mended all the clothes in it, knowing that he was more likely to be with Arthur when they were ordered out again and didn't want to waste time having to go back for his own. He and Gaius had come to an understanding that the warlock might not return at the end of the day and wouldn't necessarily have time to find the physician if they were ordered out. Each morning they said goodbye as if it was going to be for months, not only the day.

"Let's go, Merlin."

"I'm coming too?"

"Well obviously. We are leaving today, and I'm assuming that you are once again going to decide to tag along. It would make sense if you heard this as well." And without waiting for his servant, Arthur strode regally from the room, looking every part the prince as he always did. With a sigh, Merlin chucked the cloth he was holding in his hand on top of the ever growing pile and scurried after Arthur.

He caught up with him at the top of the stone steps leading down to the courtyard. As Arthur strode down them, Merlin bent over at the top, his hands on his knees as he fought for the breath that had been denied to him as he tried to catch up with his master. He had never fathomed how Arthur managed to walk so fast and yet not appear the slightest bit of a breath. He supposed it was all to do with training to be a Knight, one of the lessons must have been in walking fast.

Setting off again, Merlin finally skidded to a stop when he reached the training field, trying to regain at least a small amount of decorum before moving across to join the familiar group of Knights waiting for them in the far corner. Arthur was half way there already, so the servant knew he had to hurry. Trying to walk as fast as he could without looking like he was hurrying, Merlin was rather pleased with his progress as he practically caught up with the prince as they drew near to the group. Almost to punish his satisfaction, however, an exposed root casually tripped the servant, sending him flying forward at an astonishing speed he couldn't quite comprehend. Knowing precisely what was going to happen and not being able to do anything about it, Merlin merely shut his eyes as he went ploughing into Arthur's back.

Not prepared for the sudden impact, Arthur was unable to prevent the most unprincely like yelp slip through his lips as he was suddenly propelled forward. Hitting the ground hard, he instantly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being flattened by Merlin once again. Silence fell across the field as the men watched, not sure how to react. Suddenly, Tristam let out a snort of amusement that he hastily tried to cover up as the rest of the group turned to look at him. It was too late though, and before long, the whole group had given into their amusement as Arthur yanked his servant back to his feet and practically marched him over. Watching them with raised eyebrows, the prince was hard pushed to not let the smirk playing across the corner of his mouth become any more apparent than it was.

"Men." He stated formally after a few minutes, knowing that the relaxed companionship they all had meant they could be here all day and get nothing achieved. It was great for passing the time when they had been searching, but right now, Arthur was firmly back in the role of Crown Prince.

"Our orders are to leave today. I want you to meet me at the stables in one hour, ready to leave. Do not be late."

"Sire," Leon stated with a slight bow of his head, clearly speaking for them all. The Knights looked resigned, but knew that Arthur wanted to go as much as they did, and it would do no good to kick up a fuss apart from making things awkward once they were away from the palace. As one big unit, they walked back across the field, leaving prince and servant standing in the corner looking out after them.

"That was a bit harsh," Merlin eventually muttered sullenly, his eyes fixed on the sight of Leon slinging his arm comfortingly around a despondent Tristam.

"What was?"

"Telling them they had an hour to get ready and leave. You're lucky your pack is ready to go, or you wouldn't be ready to leave in an hour. How are you expecting them to do all of that?"

"Their packs are also ready. Merlin, the King wants us to leave immediately, I have given them enough time to say goodbye to their families."

"Why would their packs be ready?" Merlin asked, walking side by side with the prince back towards the castle. Why on earth Arthur wanted to have that particular meeting so far away was past the warlock, that long walk all for about three words.

"They knew we would most likely to be leaving, I told them on our first meeting. Only then, I hadn't reported to my father, so I wasn't completely sure. They knew this was coming."

"Oh." Merlin responded, somewhat thickly. He had been annoyed with Arthur for making them have to leave so soon, but the downcast tone of his voice made him realise the prince knew this was a foolish mission. He had given the men a chance to say goodbye, something Merlin knew from his own experience was more than anyone could ask for, not knowing the troubles lying ahead. It was because of the chance to say goodbye that the three men they had lost in the last quest had been able to go calmly, knowing that their families knew they loved them.

"Why didn't I know this? Where was I?" The servant suddenly demanded haughtily, feeling slightly left out. Stopping still, Merlin placed his hands on his hips, glaring at Arthur. Without breaking in his stride, the prince merely glanced over his shoulder, shaking his head with amusement at the defiance his servant was showing.

"You were with Gaius, you idiot." Merlin hadn't been, but Arthur was not in the mood to remind him of the near argument they had had on that day when a still exhausted servant had turned up to work, only to find he was expected to sort out both of their packs and have everything ready to go again by the end of that day. Arthur had half been expecting his father to send them out straight after his meeting with the king, but was glad he had been able to spend another night in his bed. Merlin, however, had not been happy to find how much work was waiting for him.

"Still don't think it is fair," Merlin muttered, scurrying after Arthur all the same. He was determined not to have the last word in this, but couldn't help but feel it was a losing battle, as everything the prince had said so far made perfect sense.

Following Arthur back to his chambers, Merlin made to walk through the door after him, but was stopped suddenly by an arm blocking the doorway. Blinking in surprise, Merlin saw Arthur watching him with a strange expression on his face, still preventing his servant from entering.

"You don't have to come, you know, Merlin. I'm not going to order you too." For a moment, Merlin was too stunned to say anything, but he quickly swallowed the witty retort that had made its way to the edge of his tongue when he saw Arthur was being serious.

"Someone has to look after you lot."

"I'm serious, you could have so easily gotten yourself killed last time. As it was, you were unconscious for over a day. Merlin, I want you to have the choice and to know that I won't think anything less of you if you decide not to come."

"Who are you and what have you done with Arthur Pendragon?" Merlin finally murmured, a nervous laugh forcing its way out. He hadn't expected Arthur to order him to come along, yet it hadn't even crossed his mind that Arthur would outright ask him whether he wanted to come. As the prince didn't lower his piercing gaze, Merlin sighed, running his hand through his hair. He didn't want to say this, yet knew Arthur needed to know why his servant was so desperate to come too.

"I was there when Morgause took her, Arthur. I should have stopped her. I have to come."

Silence fell between them, but it was not the uncomfortable type that had once existed between the two of them, but one full of compassion and understanding, something signifying all they had been through together. Moving his arm, Arthur gave Merlin's shoulder a squeeze before pushing him gently away from the door.

"Sire, what are you doing?"

"Go and see Gaius, Merlin." Nodding, Merlin found he couldn't meet Arthur's eyes as he turned away from the door. Watching him go, Arthur smiled softly before shutting the door behind him. In the safety of his chambers once more, the prince let his defences down, yelling out in frustration and kicking the table. Why were they being sent out again? It was clear they were never going to find the missing ward, and it was putting them through hell each time they left the safety of the castle. Arthur knew exactly how Merlin felt, yet he had no idea that the servant was feeling guilty in not stopping a powerful sorceress. They had both been under the spell, both barely awake when it had happened, what had the clumsy fool honestly expected to have been able to do against Morgause? Arthur couldn't defeat her with a sword, what chance did Merlin have?

Sparing the packs a quick glance, Arthur opened his door once more, the controlled prince once more in charge. Quickly summoning the nearest servant who happened to cross his path, Arthur ordered him to have the packs taken down to the stables before he slowly began walking along the corridor. He had his own goodbyes to make, Gwen had waited long enough.

MMMMM

An hour later, and the majority of the group were saddled up and ready to go. One person was still missing, however. Sighing irritably from atop his horse, Arthur couldn't help but wonder whether Merlin had changed his mind about coming after all. The prince wouldn't blame him, just wished he had made it clear without leaving them waiting like this. In his heart, however, Arthur knew Merlin would not let him ride out alone, he always had possessed some unnerving need to be near the prince in order to protect him. Thinking back on the earlier mishap, Arthur smiled as he considered it was from Merlin himself that he needed protecting from, the servant always seemed to be pulling Arthur down into the trouble with him.

"Where the hell is he?" Arthur eventually muttered, his patience beginning to wear thin as the time trickled onwards. He knew if Merlin didn't show up within the next couple of minutes, the group would be forced to leave without him.

"Give him time, Sire." Leon murmured from next to him, absentmindedly fondling his horse's ear reassuringly. Although judging by the expression on his face, Arthur was not sure who it was helping the most, the Knight looked uncharacteristically tense. Not that the prince could blame him, however, he too was not looking forward to their return into the wilderness.

"Here he comes, Sire." Percival suddenly called over from his own mount, pointing in the direction he could see the manservant running from. Frowning at the fact Merlin was coming from around the back rather than the main stables, Arthur pushed his confusion aside as he glared down at the out of breath boy.

"Is this your version of an hour, Merlin?" He asked coolly, his tone strictly professional. Merlin knew how he felt about this expedition, he had given it away in asking the servant whether he wanted to come or not. There was no time to be sentimental now, or Arthur knew he would never be able to pluck up the courage to once more ride away from his home.

"You…you didn't tell…me the packs were…already here." Merlin panted, clutching a stitch in his side as he stumbled over to where his horse was waiting for him, making Arthur merely deepen his frown. All of the rest of them had changed mounts, knowing that they would be able to make better time with horses that had been resting for a month rather than the punishing terrain of the quest, yet Merlin had stubbornly stuck by his mare, claiming she was fine. What the rest of them didn't know, however, was the warlock had secretly been building up her strength and stamina, a whispered spell into each handful of oats meaning she could go just as long as any well rested horse. If he was honest, he felt far safer on her back than any of Arthur's warhorses.

Turning back to face the gates, Arthur tried to hide his smirk. It hadn't even crossed his mind that his servant would actually do his job and go and get the packs. He must have been going crazy trying to find them in Arthur's room, probably a good enough reason of why he was late. Although judging by the slightly red rims to his eyes, the prince had a feeling that there was more to it than that. However, despite the new found bond between Merlin and his Knights, Arthur was not about to question what was wrong in front of them.

Taking the lead, the group trotted out of the gates after Arthur, their hearts unusually heavy. Normally, this particular group were the life and soul of Camelot, striving to protect the land and its people whilst remembering what was dear to them. This time, however, there was no light hearted banter as they once more entered the cover of the trees, no warmth and hope found in their hearts despite the fact the afternoon sun was playing lazily on their backs.

Trotting behind Arthur, Merlin found his thoughts were drifting. Arthur had indeed been right in thinking that there was something else going on with his servant. Merlin had paid a quick visit to Gaius, and then gone to retrieve the packs. Seeing them gone, he had known instantly what Arthur had done, and instead decided there was another place he needed to go. The place he always ran too when things got too much, when the guilt of what he had done crushed down on the warlock, making it hard to breath. And so Merlin had once more found himself by his lake, staring into the depths, his heart aching so much for all that he had lost he wouldn't have been surprised if he could see his father's face looking back at him, he had been wishing so hard. Time had passed too quickly, however, and the warlock had finally torn himself away, racing back to the castle just in time to receive only a glare from his master.

Now, however, he was trying his utmost to push the thoughts from his mind. Arthur needed him focused on this, there had been an ever growing pit in his stomach over the last few hours. Whilst at first the warlock had just considered it to be reluctance to return to the forest, he knew now that it was more than that. Something was happening, something powerful, and the secret protector to Camelot knew he needed to be prepared. Feeling a sudden splash on the back of his hand, Merlin stared at the water droplet glistening there. He had been sure they had left in dazzling sunshine, and whilst they had been travelling for only around an hour, the sky had turned dark. Worryingly dark.

Before Merlin could voice his suspicions, the heavens suddenly opened, making the Knights gasp in surprise at the drenching they found themselves obtaining. Turning his horse back towards the men, Arthur was already having to squinting back to see his men, his hair sticking to his forehead and causing him to have to brush it irritably from his eyes.

"Are you all alright?"

"Wet!" Came back a reply, the voice to whom it belonged causing Arthur to roll his eyes.

"Obvious as always, Merlin. Is everyone still there?" When the cries came back confirming that all the Knights were indeed still present, Arthur frowned in contemplation. They couldn't go on in this weather, they would lose each other in moments. Swinging himself down from the saddle, he reached into his pack and produced a long length of rope. Looked like they were going to have to do things in a different way then.

As the prince took control of the situation and began the task of getting the men in a line in order to be able to join them altogether, Merlin sat frozen on his horse, his hand absentmindedly stroking her neck as he thought hard about what he was sensing. He had been right in thinking that something was about to happen. There was no way this rain could have come out of nowhere, the sky had been a dazzling blue when they had left, yet was now black and ugly, the rain showing absolutely no sign of letting up in the slightest. With every drop that landed on the warlock's skin, a strange tingling sensation shot through his body, not exactly painful, but not pleasant either. There was one thing Merlin was completely certain on, however, and that there was nothing natural about this weather. The rain was somehow magical, and for the life of him, the warlock couldn't work out what it was supposed to mean.

"_Mer_lin, will you please hurry up and get yourself down from your horse!" Jumping violently at Arthur's angry tone, Merlin quickly dismounted. The reigns held loosely in his hand, he gingerly picked his way back towards where the huddled shapes of the rest of them could just about be made out. All were on foot, the reigns of their steeds in their hands, a piece of rope wound around their waist and lashing them to the person in front.

"You're on the end, Merlin." Arthur called over, beckoning his servant over with one hand whilst holding the rope with the other.

"What? Why?" Merlin moaned as he allowed Arthur to tie him to Sir Tristam. Tightening the knot slightly tighter than necessary, Arthur smirked as he moved off down the line, clearly intending to once again take the lead.

"It means when you fall over, whilst you'll stop us, you won't take the entire line down with you."

"Oh very funny, Sire." Merlin pouted, shifting irritably in his new position. He didn't want Arthur to know he thought the prince may actually have a point there. And besides, with no one behind him, it meant no one would sense him daydreaming as the warlock tried to ignore the strange sensation travelling through his body, but also finding the meaning behind the rain. As no one else had mentioned anything about strange sensations, Merlin assumed it was his own secret that was causing him to be affected in a different way. He had travelled long enough with this group to know if any of them felt the slightest thing out of place, they would report it.

Feeling the rope tighten around his waist, Merlin sighed as he began to walk slowly forward, thoughts driven from his mind as he concentrated all of his attention on not tripping over the roots that were determined to once more send him plummeting into the ground.

They continued in this format for almost two hours, steadily getting more and more soaked as the rain refused to let up. With a sinking heart, Merlin knew everything in their packs would be soaked as well. Whilst they were waterproofed to a certain extent, there was something driving about the rain that was managing to soak places Merlin didn't even know were places to soak. Beginning to feel weary as the sensation continued, draining him, Merlin didn't notice the tree emerge in front of him, nor the fact the rest of the group were leading him slightly to the right. Instead, the warlock instead managed to walk smack into it, sending himself flying onto the ground and yanking the whole group to a stop, causing one of the men –he wasn't sure who – to let out a sudden yelp. Without turning around, Arthur stopped, closing his eyes in resignation. He was surprised Merlin had lasted this long. If he was honest, the prince was feeling strange, as if his very energy was being sucked out of him, but Arthur just put it down to the fact he didn't want to be here and was annoyingly wet.

"You still conscious, _Mer_lin?" He yelled back down the line, hearing the men stifle snorts of amusement at his choice of words. He knew they would all be thinking the same as him though.

"I'm just great." The slightly irritated response came floating back up, causing Arthur himself to smirk. Trust Merlin. Just as the prince was beginning to think he could go on no more, the servant had to do something that would make him smile.

"We're just by the Hallowed Caves. Let's take shelter in there for the night." Setting off once again, Arthur quickly felt himself jerked to a standstill again.

"Merlin! Get up!"

"I'm trying, the ground is too slippery."

"Tristam, do you think you can do the honours?" Before Merlin had a chance to once more find his feet, the man in front of him stepped back and grasped him by the upper arm, hauling him to his feet.

"All set, Sire." Grabbing onto the reigns of his horse just in time, Merlin allowed himself to be pulled along, glad that they were going to stop, for he was exhausted. It seemed to be something of a habit for the warlock as of late. Once more, the group set off, only this time, Arthur led them diagonally up the side of a hill, hoping his time of playing in these caves was giving him the right sense of direction. If one didn't know they were there, they provided a great hiding place, barely visible. Something Arthur had put to a lot of use over the years, much to the exasperation of whichever poor soul had had the job of looking after the young prince.

Within only a few more minutes, all of the men were in the safety (and dryness) of the cave, wriggling free of the rope and pulling their sodden capes from their shoulders. As they set about lighting a fire in order to at least try and dry some of their belongings, Merlin tied a piece of rope from the branches of the tree in the opening of the cave and the other end to a stout piece of rock on the far side before attaching the horses reigns to it. It was only temporary, but it would do. He had just started rubbing down the animals when a hand on his shoulder made him jump.

"I'll do that, you go and help Arthur collect the firewood." Nodding, Merlin silently handed the equipment over to Sir Gawain. Normally, he would have protested at being sent out in the rain again, but he could tell by the man's face his leg was giving him grief, and determined not show he wasn't much help, nor the fact he was in pain, the Knight had opted for the task that had to be done by someone, yet was not too much strain.

Stumbling to the mouth of the cave, Merlin quickened his speed when he caught sight of Arthur waiting for him.

"Stay within calling distance and meet back here in twenty minutes. We can't stay out in this rain much longer."

"Sire." Merlin acknowledged, heading off towards the east as Arthur turned west. Sharpening his hearing with magic as soon as the prince had moved off, Merlin paused for a moment, making sure there was no immediate danger surrounding the prince. The gnawing pit in his stomach still hadn't eased, meaning the warlock was sure the rain was only just the beginning. And as with most magical attacks, Merlin was sure it was going to be centred on the prince.

"Merlin." Jumping violently as a feminine voice softly called his name, Merlin spun wildly on the spot. No one was around him, but the darkness caused by the rain meant he could see no further than a few feet.

"Merlin. Come to me, Merlin."

"Hello? Who's there? Arthur?"

"Come to me, Merlin." His curiosity over taking any sensibly thought, Merlin slipped through the trees towards where the voice appeared to be coming from. As his toes splashed into something wet, Merlin suddenly found himself at the edge of the lake. But not just any lake, _his _lake. Yet they were many miles away from his favourite place. Before he could dwell on it any further, a break appeared in the clouds directly above him, the sun's rays warming and drying him.

"Come with me, my love. We can be together again." His head snapping up, Merlin felt his breath catch in his throat as he caught sight of the figure walking across the water towards him.

"Freya."

"We can be together. Isn't that want you wanted? You don't have to feel guilty any more, Merlin."

"You know I want to be with you," Merlin choked, barely paying any attention to the tears streaming down his face. The feeling in his stomach intensified with a sudden throb, but as Freya stretched her hand out towards him, Merlin ignored it, instead pressing his palm into hers. Instantly, Freya gently drew him towards her, his feet involuntarily stumbling forwards.

"Freya, I can't. You know I have to protect the prince."

"He doesn't understand you like I do. Come with me, Merlin, and we can be together, forever."

As if suddenly waking from a dream, Merlin realised he was practically up to his waist in water. Looking around him, Merlin quickly came to the conclusion that whilst this was by no stretch of the imagination his lake anymore, it was certainly real and wet enough. He tried to snatch his hand back from the girl in front of him, but found he could not as she continued to draw him outwards.

"You're not Freya," he gasped, struggling to break her grip on him. "She wouldn't want me to give up."

As soon as he said it, the sun disappeared as the storm reappeared, more violent than ever. Freya shimmered for a moment, before seemingly disappearing, a faceless figure instead in front of him, webbed hands gripping his own with surprising strength. It seemed to be leering at him, yet did not seem to feel the magic Merlin began throwing at it in order to escape its grip.

"You're on a hopeless mission, warlock. You shall not succeed."

"No," Merlin begged, but before he could say anything more, his foot suddenly slipped from under him and he was sent plummeting into the water, the icy depths immediately swirling around him. Surrounding him, more of the figures emerged, their webbed hands clinging onto him as he struggled for the surface. However much he tried, Merlin couldn't shake them free, and with the thought that he had failed Arthur after all, the warlock slipped into the murky darkness.

**What did you think? Should hopefully have the next chapter up in about a week!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Once again, a huge thank you for all of you who have reviewed so far, it really means a lot so please keep them coming! So the idea is I'm going to post every friday... and i think my clock says it is 12:01, so yep, that counts as a Friday for me!**

**Ooh, also, I have posted a poll on my profile that I would really appreciate some feedback on, if anyone has a moment spare! Thanks to all!**

**Enjoy!**

There could be no other word to describe the expression on Arthur Pendragon's face other than a pout. The prince couldn't help it, despite the fact he had not pulled this particular expression for many a year. He was cold, soaking wet, hungry, and couldn't shake the feeling that something was going very wrong, or about to go very wrong. He had had the feeling all day, slowly increasing with the wetter he became, but Arthur had shaken it off, determined to think it was just him being paranoid. Considering what had already gone wrong on them since they set off, not just this time, but beforehand as well, Arthur was adamant that he was just being stupid. He couldn't tell the others how he was feeling; they were looking to him to guide them through it. Judging by the uneasy silence that had fallen as soon as they had reached the cave, they were feeling something too. Arthur simply had to go on like nothing was wrong, for their sakes. He had hoped he would be able to confide in Merlin, but the boy had disappeared as soon as they had left the cave.

Bending down to gather an armful of wood, the prince couldn't help but curse rather colourfully as what was already in his grasp was sent crashing down onto the floor. Everything practically in existence was cursed as Arthur once more bent down. This time, the wet ground beneath his feet gave way and the prince was sent sprawling head first into the mud, almost smacking his head on the wood he had just dropped.

"For God's sake!" He yelled out loud, now glad that Merlin had disappeared so as to not witness his less than graceful fall. Thinking about his servant, Arthur frowned, sitting still in the mud for a moment as he tried to pick out sounds of where Merlin was. If Arthur was struggling in the weather, what hope did that clumsy fool have? With a small smile, Arthur pulled himself to his feet once more, using a branch from the closest tree as leverage as he once again regained his balance. He had just lifted his load of wood back into his arms when a confused voice made him freeze.

"Hello? Who's there? Arthur?"

"Merlin?" Arthur yelled back, turning towards the direction that he thought he had heard the voice coming from. Straining his ears once more, Arthur frowned when he heard absolutely nothing. He had heard Merlin's voice, yet could make out no sounds of movement from the servant, no sign as to why he would think anyone was there, unless of course he had indeed heard Arthur's rather colourful language.

"What could he have done this time?" Arthur muttered to himself, smirking even more as he realised the habit he had once more slipped into. It was something of a natural reaction, whenever he was out hunting on his own, the prince had a habit of talking everything through, despite the fact no one was there. The first time Merlin had come with him, he had found it hilarious before he had fallen head first into a deep pile of leaves. Then it had been Arthur's turn to laugh.

"Merlin, are you there?"

Silence met Arthur's question, but strangely enough, that worried the prince even more. Something was definitely wrong. The hairs on the back of his arms were beginning to stand up as the rain managed to find a way in through his turned up collar. Shivering, Arthur wrapped his arms around himself, hugging what little warmth he still had left into his body. He was feeling so tired. What would he give just to be able to sit down here, on the soft mud, and let the exhaustion wash him away, relieving him of his burdens.

A shrill giggle suddenly echoed through the trees around him, making Arthur pull himself sharply from his thoughts. He hadn't known where they were even coming from, he had never once on either a hunt or patrol been as reckless to want to sleep in the opening. Shaking his head to clear the fogginess from his brain, Arthur stumbled to his feet, scared by the fact he hadn't realised he had sat down.

"Who's there?" The prince called commandingly, trying to hide how scared he was beginning to get. Not being sure how much time had passed since they had left the cave, Arthur decided he was going to return. Grabbing whatever of the spilt wood happened to be in his range, Arthur set off at a run back towards the cave, anxious to once again be in the company of his men. The warmth of the fire would take away the strange ideas popping into his head, and hopefully the hot food would drive away the demons the prince couldn't help but feel were beginning to follow him.

He had almost made it back to what he was considering safety when a stray bramble Arthur had not managed to dodge properly caught on his jacket, pulling him to a stop in a similar way Merlin had managed earlier that day. Once more cursing, Arthur spun on the spot, staring in bewilderment at the way the thorn had hooked itself through his jacket. Placing the pile of wood by his feet with a controlled slowness that gave away to those who knew him that he was about to explode through frustration, Arthur moved forward, trying to get a better look. Making a start on freeing the fabric from the bush, the prince regretted for the first time it was such good quality. If he had been wearing something made by the same type of material as Merlin's clothes, he knew without a doubt that he would have been able to just pull himself free and get back to the protection the cave was offering, but instead, he was forced to carefully unpick the thorns from his jacket.

He was about half way through his task, his hands covered in small scratches, when a strange splash suddenly caught Arthur's attention. Jerking his head upwards, he somehow looked straight through a gap in the trees, only to see a sight that made his heart skip a beat. As he watched, horror struck, Merlin lost his footing, falling with a splash straight into the icy depths of the lake.

"No!" Arthur yelled, pulling harder on his jacket. As he watched, desperately hoping Merlin was about to resurface again, the feeling of being watched intensified, and without knowing how, Arthur knew there was something in the forest, something working against them. Without wasting a second, he drew his knife from his belt and with one quick cut, sliced the corner of his jacket off. Already setting off at a sprint, Arthur only realised he would have to pass the cave again when he was practically in line with the entrance.

"Leon!" The prince almost screamed as he pelted past, somehow knowing the Knight would have heard him and would be coming to help. That didn't matter to Arthur at the moment, however, all that was important was getting to the lake. Merlin had yet to break the surface, and the logically part of Arthur's brain was not very helpfully informing him that if he didn't hurry, Merlin would be lost for good.

Skidding to a halt at the edge of the lake, Arthur had his jacket and boots off in a flash and was about to wade in when something caught his attention. Just out of the corner of his eye, a being was standing in the middle of the lake, but as Arthur turned to look at it, it shimmered slightly before changing form, one that made him miss a step.

"Arthur, my son. Join me?" As the shape of his mother stepped soothingly towards him, Arthur shut his eyes, seeing once again Merlin fall into the icy depths. The shape was in reach now, and with one swift movement, Arthur drew his sword before swinging out, cleaving the thing in two with a harsh cry. He knew that had not been his mother, why on earth would she appear to him in the middle of a lake? Throwing his sword to the ground, Arthur splashed his way out from the shore, feeling the depth deepen beneath him until the prince was suddenly swimming.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Hearing Leon's frantic yell, Arthur knew he didn't have time to respond. Flipping himself over, he took a deep breath before diving into the icy darkness. The pressure of the water nearly made him squeeze his eyes shut, but just before he did so, a flash of colour caught his eye. Without thinking, Arthur propelled himself forward, grabbing onto the colour with both hands, an overwhelming sense of relief overcoming him as Merlin was pulled towards him. However, on seeing how pale the boy was and the fact his eyes were shut, Arthur immediately pulled him sharply towards the surface, only to be dragged back.

Lungs almost bursting for air, Arthur peered blearily through the water to see more of the creatures holding Merlin down. In an instant, the prince's knife was pulled free from his belt and he was slashing and stabbing with all of his might, pulling Merlin with the other hand. After what seemed like a lifetime to Arthur but couldn't have been more than a couple of seconds, he finally felt the resistance disappear. Pushing Merlin with all of his might, Arthur's head broke free of the surface as he gratefully gulped down air into his protesting lungs. Merlin surfaced next to him, but to Arthur's horror, he didn't take any welcoming breath, didn't move in the slightest.

Shivering violently as the rain lashed against his face, Arthur forced his numb body into moving. Grabbing Merlin with one hand, he struck out for the shore. About half way there, Leon came splashing out to meet them, taking Merlin's limp form from the prince and allowing Arthur to regain his footing.

"What happened?" Leon called as he dragged Merlin onto the shore, turning to help Arthur out. The prince mutely shook his head, he had no idea. He himself wasn't sure what he had seen, only knew that the price of what had happened was the motionless figure lying in front of him. Dropping to his knees, Arthur scrambled over to Merlin's prone form, shrugging off the blanket Leon had attempted to drape around his shoulders. There was a horrible blue tinge surrounding the servant's lips, and as Arthur once more tried to feel for a pulse the second time that week, the skin beneath his hand was ice cold.

"Sire, he…he's not breathing." Leon whispered, knowing Arthur would hear him.

"No, come on, Merlin," Arthur begged, pulling himself into a more upright position. Pressing down hard on his servant's chest, Arthur paused to see if it had the desired effect. Nothing. Repeating the action three more times, Arthur knew he couldn't keep going much longer, he was too cold himself. He didn't need to go on though.

With a sudden gasp, Merlin rolled onto his side, coughing water out harshly from his lungs, shaking in a mixture of cold and fright. Rubbing his back soothingly between his shoulder blades, Leon helped the servant empty his lungs before wrapping another blanket around the shivering boy.

"Thank you, Sire." Merlin whispered, his voice hoarse and rough. "I thought they had me."

And before Arthur could respond, his eyes rolled wildly back into his head and he once more collapsed into Leon's arms. Rubbing a hand wearily over his eyes, Arthur glanced up towards his head knight. Why did he always seem to see the man with his own servant unconscious in his arms?

"Is he going to be alright?" Watching as Leon bent over Merlin once more, Arthur reached around him and dragged the blanket closer before wrapping it around his shoulders, shivering in the cold once more now the adrenaline was beginning to wear off.

"He's going to be fine, it's shock. We need to get him warm and dry though, you too, Sire."

Nodding wearily, Arthur pulled himself to his feet, wondering how many times he had done that today. Thinking back on what happened, the prince suddenly spun around, wondering if the source of the giggle was still around. Recalling it now, Arthur wasn't so sure that it had been meant in malice any more, for if it had not spooked him into moving, he would have never seen Merlin fall.

It wasn't until he felt a hand steadying his elbow did Arthur realise he was swaying slightly in exhaustion. Glancing up into Leon's concerned face, he nodded, a clear signal that he was going to be fine. Leon regarded his prince for a moment, almost as if he didn't believe him, but eventually lowered his gaze. Bending down, he scooped Merlin into his arms and set off back towards the cave, knowing that if Arthur didn't follow immediately, he wouldn't be a moment. Sometimes, Arthur just needed a moment where he could just be like any other 23 year old, not the Crown Prince of Camelot.

Watching Leon carry Merlin back towards the cave, Arthur breathed in through his nose deeply. That had been close. Too close. Although they had Merlin back, Arthur knew if it had been only a few seconds later, the loyal servant would have been lost for good. The rain was still hammering down on the prince, his hair plastered to his forehead. The feeling that something was very wrong had lessened dramatically, but it had not resided completely, making Arthur more than anxious about what was going to happen next. Normally, accidents could be expected, especially on a quest like this and having someone such as Merlin tagging along only spelt some injury. But this time, Arthur was certain there was something working against them in the forest, and judging by the look of the creatures in the lake, they were dealing with magic.

"Arthur?" The voice, although gentle, made Arthur jump about a foot in there. Glancing up, he saw Leon had reappeared at the top of the hill, smiling apologetically at the prince. Sighing, Arthur pushed himself upright, pausing only to pick up his belongings before trudging up the hill towards the knight. As soon as he drew level with Leon, the man took everything out of Arthur's hand, allowing him to tighten the blanket around his shoulders. Without a word, the two walked back to the cave, each lost in their own haunting thoughts.

Pausing at the entrance of the cave, Arthur didn't see Leon move past him, he only had eyes for the figure that had been placed by the fire. Wrapped in numerous blankets, Merlin's jacket, boots and beloved neckerchief were drying next to him.

"You must get warm, My Liege." Leon murmured softly in his ear, giving Arthur a gentle nudge further into the cave. Stumbling forward, Arthur ignored the stares of the rest of the men, instead sitting as close as he dared and feeling the warmth from the small fire practically seeping into him. Gazing into the flames, Arthur felt himself drawn in, hypnotised. He didn't register the person taking the damp blanket and wrapping a dry one around him as if he was a child. He didn't even realise he had fallen asleep until frantic, hushed voices pulled him from his slumber.

"He's going to wake the prince if he carries on like this."

"But you don't understand, there is something following us, I can feel it. I can sense things like that…"

"Merlin, shut up." Arthur said shortly, climbing to his feet and allowing the blanket to fall from his shoulders. His servant was awake, wrapped firmly in a blanket that Percival seemed to be battling to keep around him, his teeth chattering. Taking in his flushed complexion and the over brightness in his eyes, not to mention the fact he was talking nineteen to the dozen made Arthur inwardly groan. He had hoped they would escape from the feverish stage, but apparently not.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled, scrambling forward past the knights, only to be held back by Owain and Tristam, both trying to subdue the over excited boy. Moving forward, Arthur hoped if he pretended to listen, then Merlin would calm down. He could see by the look of resignation on the men's faces he had obviously been at it for some time, and considering he had practically drowned, it was not a good thing.

"Merlin, you have to calm down. Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"Arthur, there is something following us, something magical. The rain is magical too, I can't let it get you, I have to protect you, it's my destiny. There were things in the lake, magical too, the rain is magical."

"You've already said that," Arthur cut in, desperate to try and get a word in edgeways in between Merlin's babbling. Whilst half of it was him clearly being delirious -why would it be his destiny to protect the future king of Camelot, he was just a mere servant? – Arthur knew he had seen more than the rest of the knights. Half of what was coming out of his mouth confirmed the same suspicions as Arthur himself had.

"Leave us."The prince commanded. The majority of the men begrudgingly backed away, returning to sit around the fire, yet Gawain limped forward.

"He's delirious, Sire. He's displaying the same symptoms I felt before Merlin cured me all those weeks ago. Don't listen to him, my lord."

"Gawain, I said leave us." Seeing the slightly hurt look flicker in the man's eyes, Arthur sighed. He didn't want there to be any grudges, and sending away a knight so he could talk to his servant was a clear and easy way of causing one. "I know what he says is going to be rubbish, but if he thinks I'm taking him seriously, he might calm down."

An understanding light came into Gawain's eyes and he bowed his head, moving away to sit with the rest of them. Arthur slowly turned back to his servant, bracing himself for what was about to come. To his surprise, Merlin leant forward earnestly, looking Arthur directly in the eye.

"There is something magical following us, it tried to drown me. It said we had a failed task, that we weren't going to succeed."

"Merlin," Arthur broke in suddenly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you get the feeling that something is about to happen?"

"I thought that was just me, with what I can do," Merlin gabbled, a frown appearing on the bridge of his nose. An identical one appeared on Arthur's as he contemplated what Merlin had said, but he pushed it to the side, the boy was delirious anyway.

"What can you do?"

"You know, oh no, you don't. Well, I can…. Arthur, the rain is magical."

With a resigned sigh, Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. They were back onto that then. It appeared Merlin was saying whatever he was truly feeling, all this nonsense about him having to protect the prince. When he was better, Arthur was going to have a serious chat with his servant about his duties. All of this saving malarkey was beginning to unnerve Arthur slightly. However, if the boy was truly gabbling whatever he was feeling, it meant that the prince wasn't the only sensing the presence following them.

"Merlin? Get some sleep, we have to leave in the morning and we can't go if you're babbling like an idiot. Well, more so than normal."

Turning away, Arthur hid his smirk from the servant as he crawled back to the fire. Merlin stayed where he was, shrugging off the blanket. He didn't know why they kept covering him with it, he was far too hot, which was confusing because his teeth seemed to be chattering, almost as if they had a mind of their own. His head was pounding mercilessly and his throat stung and felt raw, but more overpowering was the urge to make Arthur understand. His tongue, however, seemed to have a mind of its own, and just seemed to be spouting out what ever came into his head.

Watching the rest of the group from his place in the corner of the cave, Merlin decided that he really didn't feel very well. Telling Arthur would only mean he would be subjected to the prince's normal withering look, so the warlock instead bunched the blanket up under his head and lay down. Within seconds, he was asleep.

For a while, the rest of the group sat in silence, all too shocked by what had taken place. They knew there was risks with this quest, what had happened already had shown them that much. But it had created a completely different atmosphere when Leon had appeared with a dripping wet and unconscious Merlin in his arms, declaring that the servant had almost drowned and had stopped breathing for a short space of time. Suddenly, the mission they were on felt a lot more dangerous than any other quest.

"He's gone quiet," Percival muttered, causing all of the heads to go swivelling over to the corner. Seeing Merlin curled up, fast asleep, Leon jumped to his feet and strode over.

"Just let him sleep, Leon," Arthur mumbled wearily, his mind not being awake enough for another round of trying to get to the bottom of what Merlin was babbling.

"Come and see, Sire." Leon responded, his voice just as soft. He needed the prince to understand that they would have to keep a close eye on the servant for a few days at least. He was extremely lucky to be alive, and whilst he would never tell Arthur, the knight had been worried that the black haired boy wouldn't regain consciousness. As Arthur walked over, Leon crouched down, pulling another blanket out from behind him.

"He's obviously too hot, just leave him, Leon." Arthur almost snapped, making to walk back and sit back down by the warmth of the fire. He envied Merlin if he was still feeling warm, Arthur had yet to warm through, he was freezing.

"Touch the back of his hand." Leon responded, his tone neutral. Throwing him a glare, Arthur bent down and very slowly, reached out a finger and placed it on the back of Merlin's hand. Jolting it away, Arthur stared at him in concern. His hand felt like ice, he was even colder than Arthur.

"What his mind thinks and what his body is are two different things. He isn't going to like what we make him do in the next couple of days, but we have to raise his body temperature."

Taking the blanket from the man, Arthur draped it over the servant. Very gently, he scooped the boy into his arms and slowly carried him back over to the fire. Just as softly, he placed Merlin back on the floor, making sure the blanket was tugged around him. The rest of the men averted their eyes and began to bed down for the night. Sighing, Arthur did the same, positioning himself so he could keep an eye on his servant. Even though Gaius hadn't blamed him the last time Arthur had turned up with his ward unconscious, the prince was not prepared to put either of them through it again.

It was a long night. Arthur had just drifted off to sleep properly when a small whimper make him jerk awake again, only to see Merlin thrashing in the blanket, clearly trying to get it off, but unable to wake himself. Straightening it out again, Arthur had just relaxed again, thankful Merlin had seemed to have calmed down, when he whimpered again.

"Freya…" The whisper was barely audible, but the unshed tears could be heard, even though the boy was asleep. With a sigh, Arthur got back up again, but just before he got there, Merlin spoke again.

"No, please….I can't….no, stop!"

"Merlin, wake up, it's a nightmare," Arthur called commandingly, giving the boy a small shake by his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leon turn from where he had been keeping watch, concern shadowed in his eyes. With a jolt, Merlin's eyes snapped open, his gaze latching onto the prince pleadingly.

"She tried to kill me," he whispered, his voice broken. Shuddering slightly, Merlin made to turn away from Arthur, he didn't want the prince to see the tears slipping down his cheeks, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"No, Merlin, she didn't. It was an illusion. She cared for you." Nodding softly, Arthur allowed Merlin to turn away this time. Quite frankly, he didn't have a clue who this Freya was, but considering the creature had used his mother to try and lure him in, Arthur knew without a doubt that she was someone Merlin had not only cared about, but had lost as well. That was something else the prince added to his list of things he needed to talk to his servant about.

Eventually though, the night drew to a close, although the only way they could tell was by their body clocks, the rain had yet to ease up. When Arthur awoke again, feeling more drained than when he went to sleep considering he must have had to awaken Merlin at least half a dozen, Merlin was already awake. Sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, the blanket balanced lightly around his shoulders, the servant was staring into the dying embers of the fire, lost in whatever thoughts he was thinking. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, Arthur was glad to see he wasn't looking quite as flushed, his eyes had regained some of their normal colour.

"I'm going to find some breakfast," Arthur muttered, striding to the entrance of the cave before anyone had the chance to stop him. Leon was standing in the entrance, but he respectfully moved aside, seeming to know Arthur needed something to take his mind off the haunted appearance of his servant.

Grabbing his crossbow from where it had been left to try and dry over night, Arthur grabbed a handful of arrows for appearances sake and stalked out into the rain. When he knew none of his men were following to keep an eye on him (that had been known to happen in the past) Arthur threw his weapons down onto the ground and turned his head up to the heavens. Shutting his eyes as the rain washed over his tired face, he wished beyond reason that it would wash away the memories of the previous day. Merlin being held down under the water, the blue tinge to his skin, not breathing… Shuddering, the prince wrenched his eyes open again, kicking out at the first thing that caught his eye, only to then be sent hopping as his ankle throbbed after connecting with the tree stump.

Not knowing what he was doing on this quest, how he was supposed to look after the men when something was clearly after them, Arthur sat down on the same stump, resting his head in his hands. They had come so close to losing Merlin yesterday, and despite the fact he knew none of the knights would ever say anything, the group would have been broken had it really happened.

"What am I doing here?" Arthur asked the air, hoping someone would give him the answers he was seeking. An irrational part of the prince couldn't help that think, despite his words, the King did indeed blame his son for the disappearance of his ward and was trying to keep Arthur out of his sight, out of the city until he made up for the mistake by bringing her home. As if this whole ridiculous quest was just a punishment for him. He would have accepted it, if it wasn't for the lives of some of the men he respected most were also being put on the line for it.

Before his thoughts could go down any more dark routes, a shrill giggle bounced around the small clearing Arthur was in. Without thinking, the prince jumped to his feet, the crossbow almost flying to his hand as he snatched it up, spinning slowly on the spot, looking for the danger. In the times he had been awake during the night, Arthur had been thinking over the mysterious laugh and decided it was a warning. Nothing had happened to Arthur the first time he had heard it, but due to his reaction, he had been in the right place at the right time in order to save Merlin.

However, as he stared in vain around the clearing, the prince couldn't work out what the danger was. There was no sign of anyone, just the slithering as a common grass snake slithered its way towards the prince. It may have been a little late in the year to see one, but Arthur just assumed it was trying to escape the ever increasing rain. Unable to see if there was indeed anything near or not, Arthur instead opted for watching the snake, marvelling at the way it effortlessly moved across the ground, making short work of the objects surrounding it.

As the snake approached the prince, Arthur made to step out of the way. But to his utmost confusion, the snake altered its course so it was once more in line with him. Moving again, Arthur couldn't help a shred of unease working its way into his soul. There had been the warning, after all.

Turning around, Arthur plucked a handful of arrows from where he had dropped them, sliding one smoothly into the crossbow as he turned back around. And promptly stepped backwards, alarm ringing in his head as he took in the sight before him.

The snake was no longer an ordinary grass snake, but had swelled, causing its body to be at least the size of Arthur's. Its head was level with his waist, but as the prince looked, it rose itself up, looking the frozen young man directly in the eye. Involuntarily taking a step backwards, Arthur swallowed audibly. Levelling his crossbow at the creature, his finger squeezed the trigger, sending the arrow straight through its eye. With a strange noise of pain, the snake dropped again, its size rapidly shrinking once more.

Backing off to a safe distance, Arthur finally shrugged, turning away from the withering creature. That had been far easier than he thought it would have been. Taking a step forward, the prince immediately stumbled as a sharp, burning pain shoot up his calf. Half stumbling, half walking, Arthur looked back to find the snake drawing away from him before becoming still. Yanking up the leg of his breeches, he saw the two small puncture marks just below his knee before a wave of dizziness hit him and he fell forwards, landing face down in the mud.

Managing to roll himself over with a groan, Arthur knew he had to find a way of sitting up, he had to keep his heart about the puncture wound, that much he knew about snake bites. Deciding the best way to do that would be to stand, he unsteadily pushed himself to his feet, using the nearby tree as a support. He had to get back to the cave, he had to warn the others.

Stumbling forward, Arthur tried to breathe through his nose to control the dizziness and stop the pain. After only a couple of steps, however, all of his limbs felt heavy, forcing himself to take the next step was almost impossible. Straightening up, Arthur squinted into the rain, just being able to make out the entrance to the cave. Maybe if he called, Leon or one of the others would hear him. Opening his mouth, Arthur was more than surprised when nothing came out, not even a croak. It was as if his voice was paralysed.

_Magic, _the prince thought darkly to himself, forcing his leg to take another step. Glancing up towards the cave again in the hope it would look closer, Arthur frowned as lights seemed to dance in front of it, looking both deadly and beautiful at the same time. Blinking stupidly, Arthur stood frozen for a moment, before he suddenly pitched forward. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

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	4. Chapter 4

**It's Friday! And that means update day!**

**I know with a lot of stories I post more often with this, but for the first time ever, I'm writing whilst posting. And have just survived almost a full week at university for the first time, so my writing time has plummeted. I figured you would enjoy steady ones that keep going than loads that then stop!**

Merlin gazed into the dying fire, trying to shake the images from the day before out of his mind. Part of him remembered what Arthur had said about Freya being an image, but he couldn't get her out of his head, the vice like grip as he had been drawn out into the water. More than that, the warlock was paranoid about what he had said. He had gathered from the rest of the Knights he had been delirious, babbling on about something magical following them, but for the life of him, Merlin couldn't recall the words he had spoken. He only hoped he hadn't gone too far down the magical route and revealed how he knew. But then again, if he had, the Knights would surely be treating him differently?

"Do you think the prince will be long?" Hearing the muttered tones of Sir Tristam, Merlin glanced around the cave in surprise. He hadn't even noticed Arthur had gone. He was obviously really great at fulfilling his destiny, he didn't even know where his destiny _was_. It was always so much easier to protect him when they were in Camelot, not to mention when Merlin was at his full strength rather than being haunted by memories of the girl he had loved trying to drown him. It tended to affect his ability to think clearly, although he knew full well what Arthur's response to that would be, he had never been able to think clearly.

A small smile playing fondly across his lips, Merlin bent down and picked up the small stick resting by his feet, poking it into the smouldering remains of the fire and watching as it smoked. There wasn't enough heat left in it to be able to do anything more, the knights had been unable to find enough dry wood in order to keep it burning for long. That was another thing that was unnerving the warlock, making him shudder and pull the blanket further around his shoulders just thinking about it. The rain had yet to ease up in the slightest. He knew winter was fast approaching, another week or so and it would be here, yet this was unlike any storm Merlin had ever encountered. Not only had it come out of nowhere, almost literally, there was also the strange sensation he could feel as it landed on him. That alone told him it must be magic, his own magic was reacting against it. That just served to heighten the servant's curiosity though, for the others didn't seem to be showing any symptoms of anything happening to them. So why on earth was Merlin's magic trying to protect the warlock? Or the more worrying question, at least to Merlin's mind, was what was it protecting him from?

Merlin was so lost in his troubled thoughts, he didn't feel the increasing discomfort in the pit of his stomach until it reached full blown proportions, knocking the wind out of him as he gasped. Sensing some of the men turning to look towards him, Merlin smiled tightly and shifted his position, shielding himself from them. Allowing his defences to be lowered, the warlock embraced the feeling, knowing it was his magic trying to tell him something. There was something happening, something that involved Arthur, something that was dangerous. Shutting his eyes to get a better feel of what was coming, Merlin suddenly jumped to his feet, startling everyone in the cave as he yelled for Arthur.

"Merlin, calm down. He has gone to find some food."

"I have to go after him." Dropping the blanket from his shoulders, Merlin scrambled forward, trying to hide the tears building up in his eyes as the discomfort continued. The prince was in danger, that much his servant knew. And what worried Merlin even more was that he knew the threat was a magical one, that was why he was able to sense it. It was something that had developed over the years they had been together, whenever something magical was about to happen to Arthur, Merlin knew about it, providing they were in a certain range. Arthur would be furious to learn his servant had cast a spell on him, but Merlin had found it a necessary – and useful - way of keeping an eye on the prince when he was off doing other chores. The hard part was coming up with an excuse of why he had just happened to turn up in the nick of time every time it happened.

"Merlin, you're in no state to go anywhere. Sit down."

"You don't understand!" Merlin yelled, forgetting the fact he was only a servant in the company of Knights. Something he should have learnt from Arthur by now, yelling didn't tend to get him anywhere. Taking another step forward, the warlock sunk to his knees as the sensation grew even further, taking his breath away. This was more than just Arthur being in danger, this was Arthur dying. Crawling forward, Merlin decided if his legs weren't going to take him, his knees would just have to do the trick.

He had only made it half way across the cave when a pair of legs stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Get out of the way, I have to help Arthur."

"Remember who you are addressing, Merlin," Percival responded coldly, his eyes flashing dangerously as he watched Merlin try to crawl around him.

"Don't lose your temper, Percival, he is obviously still delirious." Leon's tones, whilst calming and trying to prevent things from spiralling out of control, did not have the desired effect on Merlin.

"I'm not delirious. Something has happened to Arthur, I have to go after him!" With a sigh, Leon rose from where he had been sitting, crossing the cave in a few strides and standing over the servant. Merlin was obviously worse than they had feared, they had hoped he was better this morning. But looking down on him now, Leon took in the flushed complexion with an inward groan. Arthur would never forgive him if he let the boy go running around in the rain now, after everything that had happened. As Merlin crawled forward once more, determination apparent on his face, Leon knew they wouldn't be able to talk reason into him.

Moving behind Merlin, he hooked his arms under the servant's shoulders, and with one movement, pulled him to his feet. He didn't let go, however, and continued to hold Merlin fast as the boy began struggling earnestly against his hold.

"You don't understand, Arthur is in trouble."

"So you've said."

"Damn it, let me go, I have to help him!"

"That's enough." Percival snapped, moving to stand in front of the pair. Seeing the look in the Knights eye, Merlin dropped his head. He knew by his expression that he had gone too far. Whilst when he was Arthur he was treated as an equal rather than a servant and things were generally better with this group of Knights compared to the rest of them, they were still nobles, whilst he was a servant. It appeared Merlin had just found his line, and in true Merlin style, hadn't just stepped over it, but taken a running leap and bounded over it.

"I have to help him," Merlin whispered pleadingly, looking Percival in the eye in a desperate bid to make him understand he was being earnest. None of the knights were prepared to help him though, they clearly thought he was still delirious.

"Merlin, we are going to the back of the cave. Are you going to stay there?"

Nodding mutely, Merlin allowed himself to be pulled to the far side of the cave. As Leon sat him down, Merlin bit his lip. The feeling had intensified once more. Watching him through narrowed eyes for a moment, Leon finally turned away from the servant with a sigh, thankful he seemed to be staying true to his word. What he hadn't been expecting, however, was the second Leon turned away, Merlin sprang to his feet. Ignoring the feeling as much as he could, he sprinted full speed towards the entrance of the cave, hearing the surprised shouts of the men behind him.

He had just reached the entrance to the cave when a hand grabbed his belt, pulling the warlock to the ground.

"I have to go!" Merlin practically screamed, wriggling as much as he could. But whoever had caught him was not letting him go again, pulling him to his feet and wrapping one strong arm around the warlock's chest, preventing him from going anywhere. Lashing out, Merlin felt his foot connect with a shin and heard the muffled curse, but the arm did not slacken.

"Someone help me." Owain grunted, allowing Merlin to identify his captor. Tristam and Percival quickly ran over and each grabbed one of Merlin's arms. Between the three of them, they managed to pull Merlin back again, but the servant was not making it easy for them, struggling with what little strength he still had.

"You have to stay, Merlin." Leon said, clearly prepared to trust the boy, despite his furious struggles. Percival, however, was still annoyed with the servant and was not prepared to let him go again.

"Get the rope," the man ordered, causing Merlin to jerk his head up in horror. Whilst he could escape a rope better than he could escape the men, it was going to take time in order to work the magic without them seeing, something he knew Arthur didn't have a lot of left.

"No!" The warlock screamed, all rational thoughts driven from his head as the feeling gave another throb. Arthur was seriously running out of time. "No, you can't! No!"

The Knights, however, had all seen how flushed Merlin was and how bright his eyes were. They were almost certain Arthur was fine, Merlin's delirium had clearly not passed as much as they had hoped. Shutting their ears to his pleas, Gawain fetched the rope from the saddle bag and carried it over. He was about to give it to Percival when Leon jumped in.

"I'll do it," he said softly, holding his hand out. He could see how frustrated Percival was and didn't want him to take it out on Merlin, it wasn't the boy's fault he was sick.

"Please," Merlin whispered, tears leaking from his eyes. His voice was hoarse and sore, he couldn't carry on screaming any longer, he simply didn't have the strength length. "Please, something is wrong."

Leon just sighed and nodded at the men holding Merlin. Whilst the servant had no idea what the signal was supposed to mean, he soon found out as, working as one, the three of them swept Merlin's legs from under him, pinning the warlock to the ground. His strength leaving him, Merlin shut his eyes as his cheek was pressed to the cold ground, unable to put up any more of a fight as Leon gently tied his wrists behind him. Pulling him into a sitting position, the men rested him against the cave wall before Leon then lashed his ankles together. Stepping back, a look of sadness crossed their faces as they watched the subdued boy. The fight had left him completely, his head hanging as the tears continued to fall from his eyes.

"What if he does have a point?" Tristam eventually muttered, his eyes not leaving Merlin.

"He doesn't." Percival responded shortly, turning back to what was left of the fire.

What the rest of them didn't realise, however, was that whilst Merlin may have looked subdued, he was far from it. The warlock instead was thinking furiously about what he could use as a distraction whilst he made his escape. If it came to it, he would knock them out, he simply _had _to get to Arthur, but would rather not to be met with hostile suspicion when they returned, especially as they all, with perhaps the exception of Percival, genuinely seemed sorry for what they had to do. If he was honest, Merlin could see how it must look to them, a servant screaming he had to help his master, after having been spouting nonsense for the majority of the night. If only he could remember what he had said…

As the tree he had tied the horses' reigns to gave a creak of protest against the buffeting wind, Merlin's head jerked up. That was it. With half a glance towards the men, the warlock knew this was his chance. Taking a deep breath, he allowed the magic to fill him up, his eyes subtly changing colour. In a second, the branch from the tree snapped off, causing them to all jump in surprise and rush over. It wasn't just the fallen tree they had to worry about, but the fact the horses were now lose. Another flash of his eyes and the ropes slid off the warlock. A third flash, and time slowed down dramatically.

Jumping to his feet, Merlin sprinted across the cave, around the back of them men and out of the opening as time once more resumed itself. He hoped in all the confusion, it would take them a while to realise he was gone, by which time he would have found the prince. Merlin knew if they caught him again now, he wouldn't be given the chance to escape again. Pelting through the forest, the warlock was in full sorcerer mode as he automatically dodged exposed roots, despite the fact he couldn't see a thing through the driving rain. With a flash of his eyes, he knew he was being drawn in the right direction, that Arthur was close by.

What he hadn't banked on, however, was quite how close the prince was. With a sudden whoosh, Merlin found himself flying over something solid, hitting the ground hard. Rolling, Merlin peered over his shoulder, blearily squinting back into the rain.

"Arthur?" His breath catching in his throat, Merlin scrambled through the mud on his hands and knees, bringing himself level with Arthur. Hands shaking, Merlin gently rolled him over, trying to ignore how laboured the prince's breathing was and how pale his face was. As the Dragon had once said, if Arthur was still breathing, there was still a chance to save him.

"What happened, Sire?" Merlin whispered, his eyes searching for what could have put Arthur in this state. A small red stain on the back of his leg gave the answer away, and within a matter of seconds, Merlin found himself staring at a puncture mark. Normally, he knew the way to deal with any poison was to suck the venom out, but there was something wrong. The area around the wound was an eerie green, and the warlock knew within an instant this was no ordinary bite, meaning ordinary methods would not work in curing him. Magic was needed.

Pulling the prince back into the shelter of the trees, Merlin glanced around him cautiously, making sure none of the Knights were nearby. It would do him no good to be caught as a sorcerer now, Arthur needed him. Examining the wound again, Merlin wracked his brains, mentally searching through his book for something that would help him cure the prince. A number of spells jumped into his head, but the warlock dismissed them all. He couldn't use them unless he knew what had poisoned the prince, it would kill Arthur otherwise.

Deciding he would be better off if he actually did discover what had put Arthur in this state, Merlin glanced at the prince once more before heading towards the small clearing of trees he could see just in front of him. He had been around Arthur long enough to know that is where the prince would have headed too.

He knew instantly that this was the place. The hairs on the back of his arms stood up, the air was vibrant with the use of powerful magic. Shuddering slightly, Merlin let his own power fill him up as he realised it was a dark magic that had been used. He had obviously been right in thinking that there was something following them, but judging by the darkness surrounding the clearing, they were no friend. Barely visible by a tree stump, a common snake lay dead in the grass, so ordinary that Merlin spared it little more than a glance as he began searching the clearing.

Within a moment, however, he stopped and straightened up.

"You can't be serious." He moaned out loud, walking back over and crouching by the snake. Sure enough, a small trickle of goo was running from its limp body, the same colour as the wound on Arthur's leg. The snake had been no more than an ordinary snake, but someone had cast a spell in it to make it swell and become lethal. Merlin had read about it in his spell book, it was a dark art, one that often involved sacrifices of some sort. What the warlock had been slightly more grateful about, was that an animal was often more than adequate. Whilst he protested greatly to the killing of anything without a reason, something the prince could testify from all of their disastrous hunts, Merlin was more prepared to accept that than the fact they had a cold blooded murderer following them.

"Right," the servant continued, thinking out loud as his mind raced through the spells he might need. Knowing Arthur was running out of time fast, Merlin jogged back to where the prince lay, trying to ignore the fact his breathing was becoming weaker. Placing his hand over the wound, Merlin concentrated all of his magic into his palm. Sensing more than seeing it glow iridescently, Merlin let the words roll of his tongue almost without thinking about them.

"Duco virus ex suus somes." A beam of light shot from the warlock's hand, striking Arthur directly where the wound was. For a moment, nothing happened, then suddenly, a strange hissing sound filled the air. Glancing about him to once more check no one was around, Merlin watched almost in fascination as an image of the snake rose from Arthur's leg, the green being sucked back through the wound and forming in the air. Without warning, it lunged for Merlin, but the warlock dodged to the side, watching the apparition closely.

"Absum," Merlin snarled, his eyes flashing golden as they glinted dangerously. The snake paused for a moment, before twisting awkwardly and dissolving into thin air with a hiss. Rocking back on his heels with a sigh of relief, Merlin blew out the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. The second the colour had disappeared from Arthur's leg, the prince's breathing had once more begun to even out, a small amount of colour trickling back into his cheeks.

Rolling him over, Merlin awkwardly sat Arthur up, leaning him against the nearby tree, but unable to hide his smirk as the prince's head just flopped forward again.

"I told them you were in trouble, but did they believe me? Oh no, I'm just the servant." Feeling the need to tell Arthur what had happened despite knowing the prince couldn't hear him, Merlin continued to rant about the way the knights had prevented him coming out after his master. He didn't blame them, not really. Even he would have wanted to stop himself if it wasn't for knowing how much danger the prince was in, and was actually rather grateful they didn't appear to hate him. He had certainly overstepped his servant boundaries with the way he had spoken to them.

As Merlin unloaded all the concerns off his chest and onto the prince, he eventually noticed Arthur was beginning to stir. It was just the odd movement here and there, but it was met with great delight in Merlin's eyes, a grin splitting from ear to ear.

"Arthur, can you hear me?" Merlin called, a slightly commanding tone infiltrating his tone as Arthur moved yet again. "Sire? Open your eyes, Arthur."

A sudden sound from behind him made Merlin jump almost a foot in the air, he had been so focused on the prince that he had failed to notice what was going on around him. Glancing at Arthur, he saw his brow crumple, a clear sign that the prince was beginning to come around.

"Don't go anywhere," Merlin yelped, jumping to his feet and sprinting back to the clearing. Spinning slowly around in a circle, the warlock increased all of his senses, trying to work out where the noise was coming from. Magic rushed to his defence, his fingers were almost sparking with invisible energy as he tried to locate the noise. Merlin was completely adamant it was the sorcerer back again, they couldn't have gone far if they had been around to maintain the spell to make the infection spread, it was not something one could just leave. But that would mean they knew the servant possessed magic, maybe they were here for him this time? A small part of Merlin's brain made him think that whoever was following them had already known about his magic, why else would he be the first person they tried to kill, he was just a servant among knights.

As his hearing suddenly picked up on footsteps all around him, Merlin felt his breath catch in his throat. He was surrounded. If it was the sorcerers, no matter how powerful the young warlock was, he knew without a doubt he couldn't defeat this many. He had just considered making a run for it when a voice floated into his sharpened hearing. It was whispering, but Merlin could hear it as clearly as if the speaker was yelling.

"Remember, he is sick, we don't want to hurt him, just get him back to the cave. The prince will be able to calm him down when returns, but until then, don't listen to a word he is saying, he doesn't know what is coming from his mouth."

With a groan, Merlin let his magic reside. The Knights had found him. Wondering whether it was still better running for it anyway, Merlin braced himself, but before he could move, a shape came hurtling out of the trees to his left, slamming into the warlock before he had time to so much as think of moving. Hitting the ground hard, Merlin lay winded for a moment as his assailant climbed back to his feet.

"He's down!"

"What part of `don't hurt him`, didn't you get, Percival?" An angry looking Leon quickly came striding from the trees, his eyes flickering in concern to where Merlin was still trying to regain his breath.

"Couldn't you see he was considering running again?" Percival snapped back, and for the first time in many hours, Merlin felt the urge to smile. The thought had barely even made it into his head, and yet the Knights had known. No wonder they were the best in the land, it came as no surprise that they had found the warlock. Magic aside, they seemed to know what he was going to do before Merlin himself did.

"Fine, hold him down." As the men advanced on him, Merlin suddenly gasped as the strangest sensation overwhelmed him. He just about registered that it felt like magic, dark magic, before his vision turned red. When it came back again, he could see Leon and Percival standing over him. Leon had a knife in his hand.

"We have to kill him before the prince reappears."

"No!" Merlin yelled, scurrying back away from the men. He could sense the rest of them moving in behind him, all armed and intent on killing him. Jumping to his feet, Merlin spun wildly in a circle, his eyes wide with fright. Seeing a gap in the knights, he went charging through, not registering their surprised looks. He had no idea where he was going, only knew he had to get away from them as fast as he could.

Back in the clearing, Leon and Percival exchanged surprised looks. They had got as far as beginning to crouch down before the servant had completely flipped out, acting as if he was terrified of them. They were completely unarmed, Leon hadn't want to scare him further, yet considering the look in Merlin's eye, he may as well been standing over him with a knife.

"We have to find him," Leon stated wearily, spinning on his heel and following the crashing sounds that the fleeing servant was making. He really wasn't being too subtle about it. Following the noise, Leon suddenly jumped in surprise as a voice drew his attention.

"Leon? What's going on?"

"Sire?" Leon gaped, his mouth almost hanging open as a pale prince suddenly limped from the trees. He looked a little unsteady on his feet, but apart from that, completely fine. It just showed how bad Merlin truly was.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Arthur admitted, looking around him. "There was this snake, and I think I killed it, then everything went dark, I must have hit my head. But it was as if something was protecting me, Leon. It was weird. Anyway, why are you out here?"

"Merlin. He's completely flipped out. It started in the cave, he was adamant that you were almost dying and then he slipped through our fingers. We just found him again and he looked as if we wanted to kill him. Arthur, I have no idea what is wrong with him."

"I think I do," Arthur muttered, more to himself than his knight as he shivered. The coldness, however, was not only coming from the rain, but from the very feeling of the air. There was something dark about, and considering Arthur knew there was more to him blacking out than just hitting his head, he had a horrible feeling something had been done to Merlin.

"Come on then, let's find him." With a heavy heart, Arthur joined his men in the search for his servant. If it was indeed what he thought it was, they were in big trouble. For Arthur had no idea how he was supposed to deal with a magical threat and not hurt Merlin at the same time. Something that was not going to be made easy if Merlin had it in his head they were out to kill him.

They had only been searching for a few moments when Tristam and Owain came running into view, concern etched on their faces.

"We've found him, he's down by the cave. We think he thinks he is hidden."

"Typical Merlin, he never was any good," Arthur muttered, heading towards his men as he spoke. "Don't let him know we know where he is. Get the rest of the men and we'll surround the area. We have to keep him from hurting either himself or us and it is crucial we get him out of the rain and into the cave."

"Sire?" Owain asked, surprise lining his voice at the prince's sudden reappearance. "What's going on?"

"I think there is something magical about the rain and it is affected Merlin somehow." Arthur stated boldly, knowing he had been hiding his suspicions from his men for too long, especially as it seemed it was beginning to affect on of their own.

"But why Merlin?"

"Because he always finds trouble, come on." Leading the way, Arthur ran silently towards the place Tristam had pointed out. Sure enough, Merlin was huddled beneath a tree, his posture showing how frightened he was, yet he clearly thought he couldn't be seen. Silently gesturing, Arthur lead his men carefully followed, ready to run for it if Merlin showed signs of bolting. He only hoped getting him out of the weather would be enough.

Closer and closer they crept, until they were almost upon the boy. Gesturing to his men to stay where they were, Arthur stole forward alone. He was hoping he would be able to talk some sense into Merlin and this would all go smoothly. As soon as he came into view, however, Merlin shrunk back, his eyes darting around as if looking for escape.

"Please. Please don't, don't hurt me. It wasn't my fault, I swear I didn't do anything." Blinking in surprise at Merlin's words, Arthur paused momentarily, giving the warlock just enough time to make a dash for it down the hill. What he didn't know, however was that he was heading straight for Leon and Gawain. Within seconds, they had both leapt upon the servant, holding him down.

"No! Please! Stop! Please! Don't kill me!" Shutting his ears to Merlin's screams, Arthur ran swiftly over, knowing by the look on their faces this was distressing his men as much as it was him. Arthur couldn't work out why Merlin was so adamant they would want to kill him, what had he to hide that was that dangerous? Shutting his eyes, Arthur swallowed hard. He couldn't do this.

"It's alright, Sire," Owain suddenly said softly in his ear as he jogged past the prince. Squatting down next to Merlin, he calmly pinned his hands behind him in one of his own, the other being used to push Merlin's head closer to the ground. Arthur had no idea what the man was doing, but something was happening to Merlin. He seemed to be calming down, and the small amount of him the prince could see appeared to be relaxing, his breathing evening out once again. Within a few moments, Merlin had fallen completely still, causing Owain to stand up again. Within seconds, Tristam leapt forward, a rope trailing from his hand. As the three knights tied the servant's hands, Arthur stared at Owain in surprise.

"What did you do to him?"

"There is a way, my Lord, to get through to someone under an enchantment. After what you said about the rain, I didn't know it would work, but had to try." Seeing Arthur's face beginning to cloud over, Owain pressed on. "It is merely talking them down, Sire. Constant repetition of the fact they were safe, that no one is going to hurt them, directly into their ear is supposed to free the brain from a magical hold. I'm glad it worked."

"How on earth did you know that?" Arthur asked, his eyebrows raised as he stared at his Knight in astonishment.

"An old man told me after I lost my wife, Sire. Like I said, I didn't know if it would work, I can't guarantee how long it will last, either."

"We need to get him out of the rain, Sire." Leon called, making Arthur look around. Merlin was standing, his hands tied in front of him, Leon holding the other end of the rope, clearly a precaution should the servant run again. Merlin, however, looked like he had no intention of running, his head was down, his shoulders slumped.

"Come on then." Arthur responded, leading the group up the hill as Leon led Merlin. He couldn't face the haunted look in his servant's posture.

**Ops... Sorry Merlin!**

**Let me know what you thought?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ahh well, this counts as friday for me, even if it has only just turned midnight. Maybe i should actually sleep now. Ah, my fear over writing time is coming true, i've written so little lately. Don't worry though, this can still continue for a little bit longer before i run out!**

**How has another week past already?**

The figure was cloaked in darkness as it paced in front of the men standing in a misshaped line. They were all fidgeting, clearly uncomfortable about the aura of evil pulsing from their boss. None of them could remember how they managed to get into this situation, but all knew it didn't matter now. They would never be free, not until death took them, or by some miracle, _she _decided she had no further use for them.

"What is your task?" A voice rasped out into the cold air. The rain could be heard following all around them, yet the place where the group were stood remained dry. Everywhere she went remained dry, unless she wished it otherwise.

"Remove the prince's protection."

"Do not underestimate them, they are a close team."

"Have no fear, Milady. The prince will be helpless by the end of the week."

"It better be quicker than that or else you will suffer my displeasure. Go." Waving her hand, the lady watched with detached interest as the men leapt to attention and scurried out into the weather. Technically speaking, she should have made their task easier by protecting them from the weather, but she had no desire to help the buffoons. As the last of the men disappeared into the night, Morgause stepped from the shadow she had cast around herself, smiling in satisfaction. Removing the Knights would leave Arthur open to attack, and a vulnerable prince was far more willing to be bent to her manipulative ways than a strong and fighting one. And if the men happened to come across his servant during their attack, all the better for her and all the worse for Merlin. She would teach him what happened when he tries to poison her sister. She had hoped the spell she had cast on him in the clearing would be enough to cause one of the Knights to kill him by accident or for Merlin to confess what he had done and Arthur do the job for her, destroying them both in the process, but then the spell had been broken by the Knights. Hence why she was now going to make them pay. She was going to make them all pay.

MMMMM

Merlin glumly sat in the far corner of the cave, absently playing with the rope around his leg whilst his mind raced about what had happened. He remembered the Knights finding him, remembered Percival's tackle and the feeling that there was dark magic around, and then it was as if someone had wiped his mind clean of everything that happened after that. The next thing he remembered was feeling as if he was just waking up, Leon and Tristam pinning him down as Owain frantically told him that he was safe. But safe from what? It was really annoying the warlock he couldn't remember, for he was sure that would explain why there was a length of rope tied around his ankle and then lashed to the same line as the horses, enough slack in it that the servant could walk around, but not enough to allow him to go very far. At least they had untied his hands.

Flicking his leg out moodily, Merlin pulled his knees into his chest, sighing as he rested his head upon them. What was even more annoying was that since they had returned to the cave, at least one of the Knights had always been keeping an eye on him. Whilst he couldn't recall what had happened the second time, Merlin knew they had discovered he had some talent of slipping out of bonds, the incident earlier that day proved that. Unfortunately, his earlier adamants to get to Arthur had not helped him in the slightest, they were now convinced he had actually gone mad, hence why the normally cheerful warlock was feeling uncharacteristically glum. He really had a strong feeling that something was after them, but couldn't exactly tell anyone else that, they already thought he was delusional. Unable to shake the feeling, Merlin rested his head back on the cave wall, shivering slightly. He hoped someone would at least notice that, the servant did not have enough slack to be able to reach the pile of blankets heaped in the corner of the cave. It was ironic really, the night before Merlin had been sure he had never felt so hot in all of his life, now it was the opposite, the exposure in the rain had chilled him.

"Here," a quiet voice muttered as a hand came into the warlock's eye line. Sitting up some more, Merlin smiled gratefully as Arthur sat down next to him, handing him a bowl of stew and tossing a blanket at his servant's feet. Merlin hadn't realised he was so hungry, but the bowl was licked clean within a matter of seconds. Wrapping the blanket around his shoulders, Merlin lent back again, somehow far more positive than before. It was amazing what a little warmth and a full stomach could do for one's outlook on life.

"Are you alright, Merlin?" Sensing Arthur watching him closely, Merlin turned towards the prince, smiling reassuringly. Arthur had been acting strange ever since Merlin came round, avoiding eye contact with the boy and doing his utmost to stay away from him. Merlin only wished he knew what he had done to cause that reaction, it was almost as if Arthur was feeling guilty.

"I'm fine, I promise. I have no idea what happened. Arthur, what did I do? Why do none of you trust me?"

"It's not that we don't trust you, Merlin," Arthur began hesitantly, absently fiddling with the torn edge of his jacket. He had never liked having the in-depth one on one talks, especially not with Merlin, but he could see the confusion in his servant's eyes and knew that, more than anything, was scaring the boy. Arthur couldn't blame him though, he was unnerved enough about what had taken place in the clearing and why he had a bite mark in the back of his leg, yet felt no effects in the slightest. He too had questions, but unlike the boy sitting miserably next to him, Arthur had no one to turn to for answers. Little did he know it _was_ the boy next to him that knew those answers.

"It's just… well, I don't know how to say this…"

"Doesn't normally stop you," Merlin commented lightly, a grin making its way onto his face and causing Arthur to smile in response. It was good to have some of the old Merlin back, he had been lacking considerably in the last couple of days.

"Merlin, you were convinced that we were going to kill you. You weren't just thinking we were, you were acting as if we were. No one could get close to you without you running and begging for us not to hurt you."

"I was?" Merlin asked, the grin leaving his face almost immediately. No wonder they were all keeping an eye on him. "Why would I think that?"

"I was hoping you would tell me. The men also told me how you were behaving this morning, can you remember that?"

Suddenly, Merlin seemed to find the corner of his blanket rather interesting and to Arthur's amusement, the tips of his ears turned red. Even before he said anything, Arthur knew the answer. That had been Merlin himself who had kicked up the fuss about going to find the prince.

"Why did you think I was in so much trouble?"

"I don't know," Merlin muttered, wondering how to play this. He had this strong feeling that Arthur had a small sense of what was going on around them, that he wasn't oblivious to the threat as the rest of the men. Knowing the feeling was coming from his ramblings the night before, the warlock banged his head on the wall, frustrated. Why did it seem like he had so many gaps in his memory?

"it was like…Sire, you are going to think this is mad, but…" Throwing caution to the wind, Merlin decided to see what reaction he would get from the prince. He had to make sure he wasn't the only one sensing this strange things. "It was as if something told me. I don't know how I knew, I just did. You think I'm mad now, don't you?"

Watching Arthur out of the corner of his eye, Merlin was expecting at least his normal sarcastic smirk, not the thoughtful look that came over his face.

"It wasn't a shrill laugh, was it?" Arthur asked quietly, his heart beating uncomfortably fast. Maybe he wasn't the only one hearing things. Judging by what Merlin had spouted the previous evening about magic and something following them, Arthur had to admit he had been wondering, not to mention hoping, that his servant had been serious rather than just talking nonsense. Not knowing what he was supposed to say, Merlin frowned.

"Why?"

"Just before I saw you fall yesterday, there was this laugh. I decided to investigate it and so happened to be in the right place at the right time." Whilst he was anxious to make Merlin understand, Arthur still had the desire to maintain some of his dignity, he didn't need his servant to know it was because he had become so spooked he had turned and run. "And then today, the last thing I remember is seeing the snake before waking up, but before the snake appeared, there was again the laugh, almost as if it was a warning."

"So you know what I mean about me saying I just knew you were in danger?"

"As much as it pains me to admit it, _Mer_lin, you're not talking complete nonsense for once." Giving his servant a light hearted shove so that the boy fell over sideways, Arthur couldn't help but grin at the mock wounded look Merlin was giving him. This is how it should be, this was how it always was. The two of them mucking around, forgetting their stations and duties as they simply enjoyed their friendship. They shouldn't be talking about knowing when the other was about to die, it was far too dark for the prince's liking.

"Will you let me go now?" Sighing, Arthur glanced away.

"I can't Merlin, I'm sorry. We don't know if the effects of whatever has happened have worn off, we don't know what you are going to do next."

"Oh come on, Arthur, this is me. What do you honestly expect me to do?" Merlin moaned, trying to remind the prince how he was normally complaining about his servant being a waste of time and space. Arthur, however, was not buying it for a moment, instead opting to stand up. With a sinking heart, Merlin knew he was not going to be able to convince the prince to stay.

"Get some rest, Merlin." And so saying, Arthur strode back over to the rest of the men, once more leaving Merlin sitting miserably on his own. Ignoring the looks they gave him as he sat down, Arthur gratefully accepted the bowl Tristam handed him silently.

"Is he alright?" Leon eventually asked, his voice soft. He could see that this was hurting the prince as much as it was hurting Merlin to keep him restrained, but Arthur was right. They couldn't tell what Merlin was going to do next.

"He's fine. And next time he yells that I'm in danger, it's probably best to listen to him." Arthur responded shortly, sounding every bit like the Crown Prince. It wasn't really his men he was annoyed at, but the fact they had gone to such desperate measures to keep Merlin within the cave made him wonder whether he would have been able to remember more of what happened had the servant been allowed out. Sensing Owain watching Merlin with the most peculiar look on his face, Arthur instead turned to him.

"What is it?"

"Oh, nothing, Sire. I was just wondering what happened, that is all." And so saying, Owain immediately shifted his attention back to the group, but Arthur couldn't help but wonder whether the Knight was being completely honest with him. That had been a very strange look in his eye.

"I'm going hunting," Arthur suddenly declaring, placing his bowl on the ground and climbing to his feet, refusing to look at Merlin. He knew full well what the expression in his servant's face would be to that, especially considering he was the one paying the price for the last time the prince had ventured out in the rain.

"Sire, are you sure?" Leon asked, his own eyes flickering over to where Arthur's would not. When the latter simply responded with the look his head Knight knew oh to well, he also climbed to his feet. "Then I'm coming with you, I've been in this cave far too long."

Seeing the look of determination on Leon's face, Arthur merely nodded, his need to do something that required his utmost attention being too strong to put up a fight. He would have been surprised had the man done anything by offer to come as well, considering the last time he had let the prince out of his sight, Arthur had lost consciousness without quite knowing how. One by one, the Knights all declared they were also coming, but before the last could speak, Arthur cut in, making sure his voice didn't carry to the other side of the cave.

"I need one of you to stay here and watch Merlin." Tristam and Gawain exchanged exasperated looks whilst Percival rolled his eyes, but Owain, the only one of them who had not pledged to join in the hunt, spoke up.

"I'll stay. I need a rest, if I'm honest. I'll volunteer to stay, if that is alright by you, Sire?" Arthur nodded distractedly, no longer concerned now that he knew at least someone was going to protect the servant, even if it was from himself, and picked up his crossbow and checked his sword was safely hanging from his belt. If he was completely honest, he had been so worried about everything that was going on, he had forgotten Owain was still in the stages of recovery from his last lot of injuries. Striding out into the forest with his knights on his heels, the Crown Prince of Camelot left the protection of the cave, the protection of the powerful warlock bound within.

"I don't need a babysitter you know," An annoyed voice floated across the cave, causing Owain to look up and smile. Merlin was flicking his leg continuously to the side, watching in an almost hypnotised manner as the rope spiralled into new shapes each time he did it.

"Ah well, I don't like hunting anyway," Owain responded conversationally, walking over to the cave and sitting companionably next to the warlock. Watching Merlin out of the corner of his eye, the knight wasn't quite sure how he wanted to address the matter playing across his mind.

"You don't like hunting?" Merlin asked, sounding incredulously, his eyebrows raised in astonishment. Considering the secret he was hiding, he was certainly not the most subtle of people, staring at the knight in astonishment in such a way it was more bordering on rude.

"I thought all Knights liked hunting."

"We are all individual people, Merlin, not just a pack." Owain said quietly, watching as the tips of the servant's ears burned in embarrassment.

"I didn't mean it like that, Sire." He eventually muttered, now refusing to look in the direction of the knight. Sighing, Owain lent back on the wall next to him, knowing he may as well at least make himself comfortable.

"It's Owain, Merlin. I can see why you think that, however. I used to think the same about servants, until I got to know some of them. Some are clever, some are just plain stupid, some have magic."

Adding the last line as casually as he could, Owain watched Merlin carefully out of the corner of his eye as the boy immediately stiffened, before relaxing in a way that wasn't natural, clearly trying to look like he hadn't reacted at all. Knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he addressed the issue to hand, Owain turned to face the servant.

"You have magic, don't you, Merlin?"

"No!" Merlin practically squeaked, his heart racing as he inched his way along the wall, trying to put as much distance between him and the knight as he could manage whilst trying not to appear as if he was backing away. What he had forgotten, however, was the rope around his ankle, and the warlock had not managed to get very far before it snapped taut, preventing him from going any further. Swallowing hard, Merlin lifted his head slowly, looking Owain in the eye, trying to hide his trembles. How on earth had Owain found out? More importantly than that, what was he going to do about telling Arthur?

"You don't have to lie to me, I'm not going to hurt you. I saw the snake in the clearing, I saw the goo and Arthur's bite. There is no way he would be alive unless magic would be used to save him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Merlin muttered, shifting uncomfortable where he was. He didn't think his heart had ever pounded as uncomfortably as it was now, feeling as if it was going to burst from his chest in worry and concern. Gaius had always warned him that he couldn't let anyone find out, much less someone who was sworn to protect Camelot and the royal family, mainly from sorcerers.

"Don't hide it, Merlin, I know you saved the prince. And thinking on it now, I know you have saved the prince more than once, there have been too many close calls. I know what that stuff around the snake was, it killed my wife many years ago."

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered, feeling a genuine compassion for the man considering his loss, yet still trying to see if he could work his foot free of the rope before Owain noticed. As if reading the boy's mind, Owain suddenly stood up, drawing his sword as he did so.

"Please, you don't understand!" Merlin cried, watching it in horror as the knight raised it above the trembling servant. "You've got it wrong, I only serve Arthur..!"

With a sudden swoosh, Owain brought the sword swinging gracefully downwards in a way only a Knight of Camelot could achieve, but Merlin was not watching its descent. Instead, he had thrown his arms over his head in a meagre attempt to protect himself from the blade. After a moment, he cautiously lowered them again, suddenly realising that he was still actually alive. He hadn't even realised that he had shut his eyes as well until he carefully peeled one open, then the other. Yep, he was definitely still alive.

Very slowly, Merlin raised his eyes to see Owain standing over him still, eyebrows raised in something that could resemble amusement as he watched the servant uncurl himself from the wall. He had never seen the boy look so petrified, and that had been with witnessing the earlier break down in the rain. Looking pointedly at Merlin's left ankle, Owain waited for the warlock to follow his gaze.

"Oh. " Merlin stated somewhat simply, his eyes locked on the cut rope. Owain had freed him.

"Don't lie to me, Merlin. I promise I won't tell the others, they know nothing. But I've seen what kind of magic that snake was, it took a powerful enchantment to save the prince."

"Not for me," Merlin muttered, once more drawing his knees into his chest and shivering slightly. He had left the blanket back in his original position, it had slipped from his shoulders as he had tried to escape from the knight. Owain's breath caught in his throat at Merlin's words.

"So it is true? You are a sorcerer?"

"No." Merlin responded, and seeing Owain's face begin to cloud over with anger at the obvious lie, he pressed on, knowing this could be his only chance to explain things. "I'm a warlock. I didn't choose this any more than you chose to be a male. It was something I was born with."

"I've never heard of that happening before."

"G…someone told me that it doesn't, that I'm…different."

"Are you powerful?" Glancing up once more at the edge in Owain's voice, Merlin glumly nodded. He had always denied it himself, but the knight seemed to have some sort of knowledge and Merlin knew he was probably only breathing on borrowed time here, he may as well get everything off his chest.

"Apparently." Was the only word he could get out, somehow saying that words himself made it feel more than it was. It made his magic seem more like a tool admitting he was powerful rather than just being part of him. It was not a conversation the warlock was exactly happy with.

"And you protect the prince?"

"Always have done, always will."

"Thank you." Stunned, Merlin stared at the man in disbelief. Owain sat down heavily again, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes, yet Merlin knew without thinking he was just as aware as always.

"Wha…" Swallowing hard, Merlin squared his shoulders, pushing himself into a more upright position, ready to be defiant should the opportunity arise. He was not going to be a mere servant in this, not when his life was at stake. "What are you going to do? I mean, about me."

"Nothing. I've seen you and Arthur together, you would die before so much as turning on him. Merlin, I trust you. You've said you didn't have a choice in this and I believe you. Therefore I am going to do nothing. But you should tell your master, it would be better coming from you than him finding out any other way."

"One day, perhaps," Merlin sighed, running a hand through his hair distractedly. Climbing to his feet, the warlock paced the length of the cave, just because the for the first time in hours, he could. He had reached the entrance and was coming back again when, suddenly, he was driven to his knees, something colliding hard with his back that made the warlock stumble forwards.

"Merlin?" Owain called, concern infiltrating his tone as he jumped to his feet. Before the knight could come forward, however, four or five men came pouring into the cave, all brandishing weapons and yelling harshly. Without a word, Owain had his sword drawn and leapt towards them, two of the men falling before the rest of them had moved past the fallen servant. Seeing they were good, Merlin knew that even Owain didn't stand a chance against them, not still having an injuries that had yet to properly heal.

Jumping to his feet, the warlock allowed the magic to consume him, a fierce grin dancing almost manically across his face as for the first time, he didn't have to hide from those who he was trying to protect. Owain glanced over at him and, on seeing the power almost radiating from the skinny boy, smiled himself, before resuming his attack.

Stretching out his hand, Merlin opened his mouth to cast the spell, but before he could do so, was suddenly tackled to the floor, another bandit coming through the entrance in time to drag Merlin down. Lying winded where he was, Merlin could only look in horror as the men pressed Owain further and further back, surrounding the Knight, who whilst was still fighting frantically, even Merlin could tell he was losing.

"She wanted them alive." The man who had tackled Merlin was back on his feet, moving towards the battling group. From his pocket, he pulled a handful of what looked like black dust, but Merlin felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew what that was.

"No!" Yelling fiercely, the warlock sprung to his feet and sprinted towards the man. He couldn't let him use the dust on Owain, the chances of ever seeing the man again would be beyond slim. Throwing himself at the bandit's back, all thoughts of magic were driven from Merlin's head as he simply clawed at the man, trying to remember all Arthur had ever taught him about combat. Unfortunately, having magic at his disposal meant Merlin more often than not tuned out of the instructions, knowing he was far from defenceless.

With a sudden burst of speed, the man spun around, grabbing Merlin by the throat and slamming him back down onto the floor. Gasping for air as the man constricted his fist, Merlin knew he needed to do something to help Owain, but was unable to think of a coherent idea as black spots danced in front of his vision.

"We don't need him," another man commented, watching the fight from the sidelines and regarding the servant with mild interest.

"No, but the prince is busy, we can still have some fun." His hands clawing at the man's, Merlin desperately tried to do something to help himself, but found his energy was being sapped as breathing became harder and harder. Eventually, the corners of his vision began to go dark, and it was only then that the warlock realised he could no longer hear Owain fighting.

"No," he managed to choke, but it was too late. Feeling the darkness begin to pull at him, Merlin was just about to surrender to unconsciousness when he found he could suddenly breathe again. Drawing in a deep breath, he carefully sat up, only to see the man who had been strangling him lying in a bloody mess next to him. Yelping in horror, Merlin scurried back a few paces, his head throbbing.

"Are you alright?" Glancing up, the servant looked up at his saviour, wincing when he saw the state Arthur was in. Blood was trickling from his temple and he was holding his arm in a way Merlin knew instantly that something was wrong with it. But more than that, the prince looked visibly shaken.

"Are you?" The warlock managed to croak back, tenderly feeling the damaged area around his throat. He was going to have a nice set of bruises there to add to his collection.

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Arthur muttered, slinging his sword aside in anger. "They came out of nowhere and started throwing dust everywhere. When I looked up, Tristam, Percival and Gawain had disappeared. Leon and I fought them for a while, and then he too vanished. I came back here to find Owain had also gone. What the hell is going on?"

"They said something about not needing me," Merlin supplied, shakily pushing himself into an upright position. He wasn't ready to face the challenge of getting to his feet yet, for the warlock was not convinced that his legs would support his weight.

"Who would need you?" Arthur snapped, somewhat harshly as he carefully worked his arm out of his sleeve. A deep red gash bled profusely, something Merlin recognised as being a slash from a sword. It seemed there had been more bandits than just the ones who attacked the cave then. Knowing Arthur didn't really mean his words, he tended to lash out when he was angry, Merlin didn't respond, instead focusing on the task of getting as much air into his lungs as possible. Why did it always seem like he couldn't breathe these days?

"Sire, I don't think this was a random attack. Why would they leave us and just take the knights?"

"Funnily enough, _Mer_lin, I don't know!" Sighing, Arthur ran a hand through his hair with his good hand. What was he supposed to do now? He was left on a hopeless quest with absolutely no protection at all searching for someone, who if he was honest, Arthur believed was most likely to be dead by now anyway. Yes, he and Merlin had travelled through dangerous territory on their own before, but this was different. This time, someone was after them.

"What happens now?" Merlin eventually whispered, not quite sure what the prince's reaction was going to be. He would either sigh in defeat, or explode with anger. Almost to Merlin's fortune, it was the former of the two.

"We get some rest, regain our strength and head off after them."

"But, Sire, what about….what about Morgana?"

"I'm not giving up on my men, Merlin. They are still alive, they have to be. Why else would they take them rather than just kill them? No, someone took them for a reason, and I intent to get them back."

"What if it is a trap?" Merlin responded quietly. He admired Arthur's determination to do what was right by his men, but sometimes, the prince's pride got in the way of what the most sensible option was.

"Then, Merlin, I'll send you in first." Turning his back on his servant, Arthur set about trying to wrap a makeshift bandage around his arm so that he could stop it bleeding if nothing else. However, because of the angle he was trying to do it at, it was almost an impossible task, the cloth kept falling lose before he had the chance to tie it off. Grinding his teeth in frustration, Arthur was adamant he wasn't giving up.

Watching him struggle, Merlin sighed. Shakily pulling himself to his feet, he half tottered over to where the prince was sitting. Dropping back to his knees, Merlin reached for the wounded limb without a word, grateful when Arthur let him. The prince could be so stubborn when he was angry he often refused help. Gently as he could, Merlin wrapped the bandage around Arthur's arm, tying it off and admiring his handy work with his head tilted to the side. Glancing up, Merlin caught sight of the emotions playing across Arthur's face now he didn't think his servant was watching. Dropping his gaze again, Merlin sighed.

"Get some rest, Sire, I'll take first watch." Without a word, Arthur merely grunted, pulling his pack towards him and bedding down. Turning his back on Merlin, the prince lay down on the hard ground, wondering if it was possible for this quest to get any worse.

"Sleep well, Sire." Merlin said quietly, taking up position in the entrance of the cave. Knowing Arthur had his back to him, Merlin let his eyes flash golden, sending magic out into the area surrounding them, allowing the warlock to increase his senses. Nothing was going to get past him tonight.

"Merlin?" Hearing the soft voice calling him, Merlin turned back. Arthur still had his back to him, but his next words made the servant smile softly.

"Thank you."

**Please review?**


	6. Chapter 6

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The Knights, with the exception of Sir Owain, who had been left out cold in the cell they had been previously occupying, stood in a line, all of them with their hands bound behind their backs. Leon's mind was going into overdrive, it was clear whoever these people were wanted the prince left vulnerable, but why had they captured the men rather than just killing them? As head Knight, it was Leon's responsibility to make sure these men were given a chance, but given his current position, he couldn't help feeling that wasn't going to be happening any time soon. Judging by the way he had gone from fighting in the forest to waking up in a cell, Leon knew magic had been involved, meaning they didn't stand a chance. Not that he could tell them that.

To his right, he could feel Tristam trembling slightly, although he was clearly trying to his utmost to hide it. Leon couldn't blame him, the Knight had only just turned nineteen, he was younger than even the prince. There had been many a debate about whether to allow him to be Knighted or wait until he was of age, but Camelot had been desperate for men, and Tristam had past the trials with flying colours, better than anyone had for a long time. Reaching around the best he could with his bound hands, Leon gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

"Be a Knight, Tristam," he whispered gently, immediately sensing the young man stiffen his resolve and square his shoulders, making the man who had acted as a mentor, almost as an uncle, smile softly in pride.

"Is this it?" A cool, feminine voice immediately bought Leon's attention back to the matter in hand. He could see one of the bandits who had attacked them, standing at the edge of the stone room they were in, right in front of the door. As if they could go anywhere if they wanted to, it wasn't just their hands that were bound. A thin chain ran across the line, binding the men together by their ankles. Whoever they were dealing with obviously were more than aware the Knights of Camelot stopped for nothing.

"Apart from one out cold in the cell, yep, the prince is alone."

"Really?" Straining his ears, Leon was sure he recognised the voice, there was certainly something familiar about it, but he couldn't place it. Every time he got close, it was like trying to catch a fish with his bare hands, it just slithered away again. He was sure that would be key to finding the solution behind everything that had been happening, but it was eluding him for the time being.

"Well, apart from the servant kid. He didn't put up much of a fight though, Baster nearly had him."

"And where is Baster now?"

"Well, milady, you see, the prince, he kind of came back at that point. Baster didn't make it."

"And neither did you." His eyes immediately flickering over to where the bandit stood, Leon knew the second before the confused man did what was about to happen. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or worried by the sudden knife that came flying out of nowhere, striking his capture in the chest. Staring down at the hilt in something of astonishment, the man stared helplessly into the shadows for a few moments before slumping forward. Stepping from the shadows, Leon gasped in recognition as Morgause stepped into the firelight.

"You!"

"You know me?" She asked, her voice cool and detached almost as if she didn't care. Leon, however, was not fooled for a moment, he had seen how her eyes had widened in slight surprise before flicking around the room, almost as if preparing for an attack.

"You are the one who challenged Prince Arthur. I was there. I was also there when he arrived back in Camelot, almost broken from the lies you told him." Sir Leon's voice was no longer the one his men knew as their comrade, but the one they heard coming from their leader in the heat of combat. At this precise moment in time, he was not a man. He was a Knight of Camelot, prepared to do his duty to the very end.

"Oh take them away," Morgause snapped, clicking her fingers and immediately bringing another three men into the prisoners' sight. Without a word, all three drew their swords and advanced on the men, forcing them to march slowly out of the room and back down towards the dungeons. As soon as the door shut behind Gawain, Morgause let out a yell of frustration before quickly regaining her composure. Yes, she had what she wanted, she had successfully removed Arthur's protection, as had been her plan all along, but they had failed to either bring her Merlin, or failing that, kill him. Arthur had prevented that from happening. She would find a way to make the servant pay, but first, she had to discover how Arthur had survived the snake bite. One of these men had magic, and now they were in her grasp, Morgause was determined to find out who. Merlin would just have to wait a little longer. She had waited this long for her revenge, a few more days meant nothing once she had him grovelling at her feet.

"You there," She suddenly called, pulling a man in as he walked past. He immediately bowed low before her, not meeting her eyes.

"You must find the prince and bring his companion to me. But be careful, I want him alive."

"A servant? You have all of the prince's knights and now you want a servant? Surely you have your prize?"

"This one is personal." Morgause muttered, a faraway look coming into her eyes as she remembered Morgana's still form resting in her arms. There was something about Merlin she couldn't put her finger on, she had even talked to her sister about why he would risk so much for Arthur and for Camelot, but Morgana had been unable to say. All she knew was that Merlin was different to any other servant and there was an incredible bond of loyalty and trust between the prince and his servant. To Morgause's surprise, she had learnt Arthur had once risked everything just to save Merlin. But if he was to find out what his so called friend had done to the woman he considered as a sister, it would bring him down. All she needed to do to completely break the prince was to reveal the truth about his trusted servant, and kill Merlin in the process. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. As the man hurried to do her bidding, Morgause allowed herself a small smile. Maybe not a complete waste of a day after all.

MMMMM

"Look, who is the servant here, me or you?" His tone rather irritable, Merlin glared across the ruins of their fire at the prince, who stared back, equally annoyed. They were both absolutely soaked, the fire they had just managed to have got lit going out with a hiss as the rain once more changed direction.

"I caught it, Merlin, I can sort it out."

"Yeah and precisely how many of your hunts have you then made the prey edible? And need I remind you what happened last time you tried to cook?"

"Oh fine," Arthur snapped, chucking the rabbit down irritably in front of his servant. "If you're so adamant, you do it, as if I care. I'm going to find more wood." And with that, he stalked off into the forest, although not really planning to move more than a few feet away, there was no telling what would happen next.

With a sigh, Merlin drew the small dagger the prince had insisted he carried from his belt and picked up the rabbit. Arthur had been in a bad mood all day, not that Merlin could blame him. He would have been happier, strange as it may sound, if the Knights had been killed, at least that way they would know their fate. Instead, they had been spirited off, just leaving the two remaining members of the party, both who had been unconscious in the last day. No wonder Arthur was feeling anxious.

Skinning the rabbit that only came with the ease of being a servant to a hunting-crazy prince, Merlin tried to stop the normal churning in his stomach as he set about his task. Just because he could put up with Arthur's habits did not mean he enjoyed them in the slightest. Normally he refused to do even this, a battle, the warlock was quite proud to admit, he had won. On this occasion, however, Merlin knew that if they wanted to eat tonight, he would have to put his normal feelings aside. A hungry Arthur on top of an anxious one was just spelling trouble, and considering everything that had just happened, Merlin had no intention of tempting fate. Destiny or not, there were some things that even his magic couldn't deal with, and a hungry, anxious prince was one of them.

Thinking about his magic, Merlin once more increased his senses, trying to work out whether they were once more alone. He couldn't stop the smirk as he heard Arthur crashing about in the undergrowth, clearly trying to vent some of his frustrations out on a helpless bush, but there was nothing else there. It was as if whatever, or if they were lucky, whoever, had been following them had given up for now, leaving master and servant alone in the forest. That was another thing Merlin knew had been grating on the prince, the bandits hadn't just taken the Knights, they had taken all their belongings and horses as well. It was only through luck they had managed to save a couple of blankets and the water skins, but all the rest of their carefully prepared provisions were gone, hence the argument over the rabbit.

His work done, it was only then that Merlin realised that whilst they may have dinner, even a hungry Arthur couldn't eat a raw rabbit, although Merlin wouldn't be surprised if he tried, all rational thoughts seem to disappear when the prince was in this sort of mood. With a careful check on the prince's position, Merlin carefully moved their previous attempt further back into the shelter of the trees, knowing that as long as they kept an eye on it, there would be no cause for worry. All the wood was far too wet to risk catching the tree alight. Carefully looking around him one last time, Merlin let his eyes flash golden, whispering the incantation under his breath and smiling with pride as the wet wood flared into life. Carefully placing their other logs around the heat, Merlin then shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the pile, making sure the material wasn't about to catch fire. Within seconds, his shirt was completely soaked, sticking to him in an irritating manner, but the warlock knew the wood would be drying out. He wouldn't be able to light the fire again in the same way once Arthur had returned.

He had just started getting the rabbit cooking when the prince reappeared, only a small amount of wood in his arms, confirming Merlin's suspicions that he had gone to vent out some frustration rather than actually collecting wood. They had a big enough pile as it was. Without a word, Arthur dropped his pile, raised his eyebrows at the fact Merlin had managed to get the fire started and plonked himself down on the ground in a way that was anything but royal.

"Is it ready yet? I'm starved."

"No. Glower all you like, Sire, the rabbit's already dead, it won't speed up the cooking."

"Oh stop thinking you're so smart, _Mer_lin."

"I'm worried about them too."

"Shut up." This time, Merlin took the advice and kept his mouth shut, he was pretty sure he could practically see sparks beginning to fly from the prince's eyes and he wouldn't at all be surprised if it wasn't just smoke from the fire he could see. Neither prepared to voice what they were both thinking, the two of them sat in silence, eyes fixed on the slowly browning rabbit. Arthur knew he shouldn't be taking his temper out on Merlin, the boy had already been through so much as it was, yet he knew that in a strange way, his servant didn't mind. Merlin was just as prepared to take his temper out on Arthur as Arthur was on him, it was what made their friendship work so well. Restraints of position and duty didn't seem to apply to the two of them, especially when they were outside of Camelot and had both nearly died more than once already on this God forsaken quest. Just as he was thinking he should perhaps say something to ease the tension between the two of them, a sound echoed through the clearing that made the prince jump in surprise. Merlin sneezed.

For a moment, the two boys stared at each other in surprise, the astonishment written on both of their faces. Before Arthur could say anything, Merlin sneezed once again, causing the corners of the prince's mouth to twitch. He couldn't help it, and as a third sneeze forced its way out, Arthur cracked, a great peal of laughter bursting forth.

Merlin looked almost as surprised as he watched Arthur give into his amusement, but it only took a matter of seconds before he too could not contain himself. Of all the things that had happened on this quest, this was so normal, so ordinary, that somehow, the two of them couldn't control their laughter. After a few moments, Arthur managed to regain some composure, but just as he opened his mouth to make a comment, Merlin sneezed again and any restraint was lost as the prince burst out laughing again. He couldn't help it, it was just so typical Merlin to do something like that considering the situation they were in.

Eventually though, both the sneezing and the laughing stopped and the two boys grinned at each other from across the fire. Any awkwardness about what had past, especially Merlin's panic attack, had vanished in the simple act. Concerns, whilst they had not been brushed away, were no longer dominating their minds, and for the first time in a long while, both found they were able to think clearly about what needed to be done.

In thinking clearly, Merlin couldn't help but wrinkle his nose as a strange smell hit it. He paused for a moment, thinking hard, but leaping up with a curse and almost throwing himself on the fire. Wrenching the rabbit away from the heat, the warlock frantically blew on the small flame still glowing within, before glancing up to see Arthur's exasperated expression.

"It's still edible. All we have to do is scrape the edge off."

"You really are completely hopeless, aren't you Merlin?" Snatching what remained of their dinner from his servant, Arthur quickly pulled out his own dagger, scrapping away at the burnt outside of their food. It had taken him so long to hunt it down as well, the rain seemed to be driving all manners of creatures into hiding. The forest should have been quieter at this time of year, the fact that winter was almost upon them meant many creatures had moved on, but still, it was too quiet. Luckily, Merlin had been right, once the outside layer had been removed, the meat underneath was tender and ready to be eaten.

Tearing a chunk of, Arthur then handed it back to Merlin, resisting the urge to roll his eyes as the servant only took a small piece.

"You need to eat, Merlin, you have to keep your strength up."

"I'm not hungry," Merlin muttered, staring at the rabbit with a look that closely resembled distaste. He hadn't realised that he wasn't hungry, but when Arthur had handed the food over, found his stomach wanted to strongly rebel against him eating. And what was more worrying is that the warlock had no idea why.

"Merlin, eat, or I'll make you. I'm not carrying you when you faint like a girl again."

"What do you mean, again? I've never fainted."

"So you mean I can tell Gaius about the time you forgot to eat for three days then, because of course, you didn't faint in the middle of the corridor."

"Oh shut up, _Sire_." And then, just to prove Arthur wrong, he stuck the piece of meat in his mouth, tearing off another piece before handing it back to the prince. Little did he know that was precisely the reaction Arthur had been after. Merlin could be so predictable at times, all Arthur had to do was say one thing and he would do the opposite just to prove his point. With some careful and remarkably subtle goading from the prince, the two of them quickly finished off their meal, both wishing there was more, but reluctant to say anything because they knew there was not. Stretching out to his full length, Arthur sighed deeply, rolling onto his back, only to instantly turn back again as the rain hit him in the face.

"What do we do now?" Merlin asked, somewhat tentatively. Peering at his servant out of the corner of his eye, Arthur could see even in the bad light that Merlin was chewing on his lip, always a sign that he was worried or anxious, or in this case, both.

"We carry on searching," Arthur responded, trying to sound as if it didn't matter all of his Knights had just been snatched from under his very nose. Merlin, however, saw straight through his act, as always, and fixed his master with the look that somehow always managed to make Arthur squirm. He wasn't quite sure when Merlin had developed that particular habit, but his servant had the power to make him feel like a young boy who had done something wrong.

"On our own?" The warlock responded, eyebrows raised as his tone portrayed precisely what he thought of that idea.

"Look, Merlin, I don't know what else we can do. Unless you have some idea of where on earth we begin looking for the others? We've searched all day today and found absolutely no hints or clues at all where they are." As Merlin lowered his eyes at Arthur's angry tone, the prince continued, making sure to soften his voice slightly.

"I know you're worried about them, I am too. But if we carry on looking for Morgana like we set out to do, we might just find them as well. And if we don't, then they will not have been lost in vain if Morgana is found."

"How do you do that?" Merlin cried, his voice portraying the anguish Arthur himself was feeling, but trying his utmost not to show. "They are loyal to you, they've followed you on this stupid quest since day one, despite knowing that they were most likely going to die for nothing-,"

"Merlin."

"You said earlier that you were going after them and now you just want to abandon them! What kind of man are you, Arthur?"

"Merlin!"

"Don't `Merlin` me, if you're not going to find them, then I will."

"That is enough, Merlin!" Arthur suddenly thundered, making the servant pause in the process of getting up. Glancing at Arthur in concern, Merlin suddenly realised what had come out of his mouth.

"Sire, I-,"

"I don't want to hear it. Go to sleep, Merlin, I'll wake you when it's your turn to keep watch." Wincing as Arthur strode to the edge of the trees and leant against one, his posture tense, Merlin once more bit his lip.

"Arthur…" Despite his soft tone, Arthur whipped around.

"That was an order."

"Yes Sire," Merlin muttered, sitting back down properly and staring into the fire, the flames hypnotising. What was going on? One moment they were fine, the next, this. Watching how stiff Arthur's back was, Merlin suddenly realised that the prince did care. If he didn't care, he would have just made some sort of normal sarcastic response to his servant, not get fired up. He had reacted because he cared more than he felt he could let on, and Merlin was his only outlet for his frustration at feeling like he had failed his men. Staring at the ground for a long moment, Merlin glanced up at the prince out of the corner of his eye, wondering how he could apologise without sparking Arthur off again. As he irritably moved his sodden hair from his eyes once more, the warlock immediately grinned, knowing precisely what it is he should do. Pulling himself to his feet once more, Merlin bent down to pick up what he needed before walking softly over to the prince.

"I thought I told you to go to sleep."

"Yes, Sire," And with that, Merlin carefully placed the item in his hand by Arthur's feet and went back to the fire, lying down and rolling away from the prince. As he shut his eyes, Merlin could hear Arthur moving around, and with a smile on his face, fell asleep.

Without a word, Arthur picked the blanket up from the ground, knowing by the steady breathing coming from his servant that Merlin had already surrendered himself to the realm of dreams. Draping the blanket in a strange way over his head and around his shoulders, the prince stared out into the dark forest, eyes and ears straining for anything that might be a threat to them. Although if he was completely honest, Arthur wasn't so sure they would even know a threat was coming, there was far too much magic involved with this quest, magic that had so far lost him his Knights, his friends.

Merlin was in such a deep sleep that it took Arthur several attempts to try and waken the boy. He was reluctant to do so, Merlin was still recovering from almost drowning, but the prince knew it was crucial for him to also get some rest if the pair of them were to stand any chance, it wasn't as if Merlin would be any good in a fight. Shaking him roughly by the shoulder, Arthur couldn't help but smirk as Merlin responded with a sleepy "Five more minutes," and tried to roll over.

Rolling his eyes, the prince moved around to the other side of his servant, and with one long finger, jabbed him in the ribs, making Merlin wake up with a startled yelp. If that had been a real attack, the warlock wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Your turn." Arthur muttered, his voice slurring slightly with his own weariness. As Merlin clumsily climbed to his feet, Arthur lay down, handing his servant his sword. Not that he actually expected Merlin to be able to do anything with it, he had a habit of more hiding behind a tree than fighting, but he couldn't very well let him take watch and leave him defenceless.

By the time Merlin had reached the tree, Arthur was fast asleep. With a whispered spell, the warlock sent probes out into the surrounding forest, knowing his sense would be affected by the rain and anything would have been able to sneak up on them. The first two came back signalling that everything was clear, but the third made Merlin drop the sword, allowing the magic to spring to his fingertips. Stealing a glance at the sleeping prince, Merlin quickly and smoothly set about a shield around his master and stole away into the trees. This time, he was going to take the fight to them, not wait for them to spring upon them.

Following the probe with his breath held, Merlin stole forwards. For someone as clumsy as the servant, it was quite amazing how silently he could move when he was allowing the magic to guide him, filling his senses and making the power within him almost sparkle in response. He could no longer feel the rain hitting him, no longer feel his sodden clothes try to hamper his movements. When he was in control like this, nothing could get in his way.

Slipping into the shadows of the trees, Merlin found himself on the edge of a clearing. Shadows occupied it within, and flicking his hand, Merlin quickly made the probe vanish. He had no need of it now, and he didn't want to alert anyone to his presence. Tiptoeing forward, Merlin nearly gasped in surprise when the fire the men had somehow managed to light illuminated their faces. The majority of them had their back to Merlin, but the one he could see sent spirals of fear into the warlock's soul. It was one of the men who had attacked them in the cave.

His breath catching in his throat, Merlin immediately stumbled backwards, knowing he had to get back to Arthur before the prince was lost as well. Maybe they hadn't just been after the knights, maybe they had returned for the prince as well. And considering there was still a blood soaked bandage wrapped around his arm, he was easy prey.

Unfortunately for the warlock, the dismissing of the probe also seem to dismiss his new found agility, and within minutes of trying to back away, Merlin found himself sprawled over a tree root, the rain hitting him straight in the face and obscuring his vision. Shaking his head to try and rid himself of the droplets, Merlin jumped in surprise when the men were suddenly standing over him.

"It's the boy!" One of them yelled, almost gleefully, as if they wanted it to be him. Merlin couldn't tell which of them had spoken, however, he was too busy staring at the chain swinging from the man closest to him, waving tauntingly in front of him.

"Get him."

Merlin needed no further prompting than that, and within seconds, was on his feet, pelting through the forest. He knew they were on his heels, but the warlock had once again allowed the magic to take over, blocking their path with exposed roots and rolling boulders, trying to make it look as natural as possible whilst he sprinted back towards where Arthur lay sleeping.

"Sire, wake up!" Merlin yelled, throwing himself back into the clearing and snatching up the prince's sword as he did so. Luckily for him, Arthur didn't take as much persuading to come round as his servant did and was on his feet within seconds, catching the sword Merlin threw to him almost without blinking, it was a move they were both more than practiced in.

"They're back," at Arthur's frantic gestures, Merlin dropped his voice, creeping over to where the prince stood, armed and ready. Back to back, the two friends waited with baited breath as the men poured into the clearing, their position hidden by the tree they had both leant against. With a frantic war cry, Arthur threw himself at the men, letting out all his contained emotions on his enemy, not letting them stand a chance.

Creeping around to the side, Merlin couldn't help but notice with dread the men almost didn't look like they were trying with the prince. They were keeping him at a distance, but Merlin had seen them fight Owain, he had seen what they were capable of, and this was not it. Moving forward to help his master, Merlin couldn't help but yelp as the chain he had seen the man holding was suddenly tossed towards him, the loop somehow landing directly over the servant, tightening as it fell and binding Merlin's arms to his sides. The man gave it a tug, but the warlock gritted his teeth, digging his heels in as he tried to keep his balance. They were not going to take him this easily.

To his horror, however, the man put his weight behind the chain, not allowing Merlin to move as another stole up behind him. Reaching into a pouch on his belt, Merlin could only watch with horror as he drew a handful of the same dust he had seen them use on Owain.

"Arthur!" Thoughts of magic pushed aside as he squirmed in the chain, desperately trying to free himself, Merlin didn't notice the prince turn on his heel and sprint towards them. Within seconds, the man holding the dust had been hacked, falling to the ground almost before he had registered what had happened. Unfortunately, the man holding the chain got a clear picture of what was going on, and without hesitating, he tugged sharply on the chain, and distracted, Merlin hit the floor hard, his feet desperately trying to catch hold of something as he was dragged across the ground. Knowing Merlin would reach the man before he could, Arthur did the only thing he could think of. Reaching into his boot, the prince took a calculated look, measuring the distance with his eyes before throwing his dagger as hard as he could. His aim was true, and within a split second, Merlin felt the pressure on the chain lessened, allowing him to quickly shrug it off.

Arthur was by his side within seconds, his eyes running over the servant, clearly checking him over for injuries, unaware that Merlin was doing the same to him. Panting for breath, Merlin turned back towards the way Arthur had come from, wondering what the situation was. Swallowing audibly, the prince followed his gaze, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. In only keeping Arthur at arm's length, the rest of the bandits were relatively unharmed. And they were all looking furious, advancing on the pair. Glancing at Merlin out of the corner of his eye, Arthur weighed up their chances. They were clearly trying to weaken him, first removing his knights and now coming for Merlin. Which meant he would be damned if they got what they wanted.

"Run, Merlin!" Suddenly yelling, Arthur sprang forward, giving his servant a sharp stab in the middle of his back, sending the boy flying forward into the undergrowth, miraculously landing on his feet. Engaging the nearest men as fiercely as he could, Arthur battled for all that he was worth. The quest was doomed, there could be no denying that. But Merlin was a mere servant, he hadn't sworn to protect Camelot like the rest of them had, despite his claims about protecting the prince. Meaning it wasn't fair he should have to die for it.

"I said run!" Not looking back again to see if the clumsy fool had followed his orders for once or not, Arthur pressed the men backwards, using every trick he knew to try and gain the upper hand. But as impressive as his skills were, especially compared to the men he was fighting, Arthur couldn't keep going forever. They had one advantage he did not. There were at least thirty of them and one of him. He was heavily outnumbered.


	7. Chapter 7

**Once again, thank you so much to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to let me know what you think! :) It means so much to me!**

Scrambling through the undergrowth, Merlin doubled back on himself, coming back at the men from the far side with the hope he would be able to take a few of them down with magic. He could still hear the sounds of Arthur fighting furiously, and whilst that noise filled his ears, the warlock kept hold of his courage. There was no way he was going to leave the prince, and if he was honest, was quite hurt Arthur thought he would just be able to run, leaving him alone to fight men at least ten times his number.

Wincing as the thorns tore at his clothes and skin, Merlin tried to ignore the stinging sensation as he crept forward. All that mattered was getting to Arthur. The warlock had a destination in mind of where to spring his attack from, it would keep him hidden not only from the men, but from the prince as well as he worked his magic, but before he was barely half way there, he caught sight of the battle through a gap in the trees and froze, his heart racing. He wasn't going to reach Arthur in time.

The prince was still fighting furiously, the number of wounded or dead bandits increasingly dramatically, but even from the distance he was at, Merlin knew he was tiring. He hadn't slept properly for days and whilst the stress of losing his men had lent him an additional adrenaline rush, Merlin could tell that was wearing off, his movements becoming almost sluggish. Unfortunately for Arthur, the bandits were also more than aware of this and began pushing harder against the prince, knowing it would only take a moment of distraction and he would be theirs. The moment of distraction, however, came far too soon for Merlin's liking, he had hoped to reach his destination and be able to help Arthur out. Instead, the loyal servant was what proved to be his undoing.

Swinging with a great effort at the man in front of him, Arthur tried to ignore how heavy his arms were feeling, gritting his teeth and focusing on the fight like he had been taught too. However, just as the sword drove into the man's stomach, something caught Arthur's eye. Momentarily distracted, he glanced up only to see Merlin standing frozen not ten feet away. Resisting the urge to draw attention at his servant by yelling at him to run, Arthur spun sharply on the spot, driving into the men in the other direction, trying to keep their attention away from the fool. What he had forgotten, however, was that left his left hand side more vulnerable than his right, and the bandits didn't need telling twice. One of them sprung forward and closed his fist around Arthur's arm, right where he could see the bandage was and causing the prince to yell out in pain.

Spinning, Arthur drove his sword into his attacker, but it had been enough. His arm was throbbing mercilessly and the men had seen that he was weakened. Another sprang forward, almost as if they were co-ordinating their attack and slashed at Arthur's right side, causing him to have to lean precariously back in order to doge the blow, he couldn't move his sword fast enough. Stumbling slight, Arthur then swung at that attacker, only to have another jump in from the left. He couldn't keep up with them any longer, the sword was feeling heavier and heavier in his hands, his limbs trembling with exhaustion. It only took a few more attacks before the sword was suddenly knocked from his hand. Having not retrieved the dagger after he had freed Merlin, the prince was left defenceless as the bandits pressed forward their advantage, closing in on him as Arthur tried to back up, considering making a run for it.

Aiming for the gap he had shoved Merlin through in the hope that the bandits would not be able to use their numbers to their advantage, Arthur continued backing up, desperately trying not to look as if he had a plan. Whatever plan the prince had been in the process of making, however, was soon lost as he misjudged the distance he had drifted, and instead of the gap, found himself backing into a tree. Feeling the rough bark press into his back, Arthur flexed his fist, ready to fight to the death. He would not go down like a coward.

His eyes flickering to where Merlin still stood, Arthur attempted a small smile, the effect lost somewhat by his split lip, but he could tell by the servant's reaction that he had received the message. Instead of accepting the prince's goodbye, Merlin instead shook his head vehemently and started moving again. To Arthur's horror, he began creeping back towards them. He knew Merlin was no good when it came to hunting and had indeed got something in his head about it being his duty to die for the prince, but Arthur didn't realise it was to the extent of bordering on suicide. He wasn't going to let Merlin die for a quest he didn't believe in.

Throwing himself forward in a last attempt to allow the servant to slip away, unseen into the trees, Arthur was forced to his knees within a matter of seconds, although with a stinging fist and a man howling in pain as he clutched his broken nose. Even unarmed, the prince was far from defenceless. Two of the men held him roughly down, their nails biting into his flesh, yet Arthur didn't so much as wince. He had been through worse. Struggling against his captors, Arthur was almost back on his feet before the men finally managed to force him back down again. This time, there were four of them, all having to use their full strength to keep the prince subdued. Even from where he was sneaking through the bushes as silently as he could manage, Merlin smiled in pride as he caught sight of the strained expressions on their faces. They were not expecting this much of a struggle, they had only come for a serving kid.

"What do we do with him?" A voice rasped out into the air, strained and hoarse. It was the kind of voice that sent shivers down Merlin's spine, yet he forced himself to keep listening, he had to find out why they were coming after them and who had sent them. For there was no way a group of bandits this large were working on their own, they would have killed each other before working together. Which meant someone else was holding the strings and directing them. Someone that had more interest in weakening Arthur than killing him, meaning they had another plan. Whilst that was slightly startling, Merlin was glad in a way. When he could think of some suspects, it would be narrowed down significantly rather than just anyone in the kingdom who wanted the Crown Prince dead. And considering Arthur wasn't half bad once his defences were down, there were a large majority of people who seemed to want that. It made the warlock's job of protecting the oblivious Arthur a lot harder when anyone from a farmer to the most powerful of sorcerers could potentially be a suspect.

"Kill him?"

"Nah, she wants him alive."

"Thought she wanted the kid alive?"

"The prince too."

"So what do we do with him?"

"You let me go." Arthur stated, making Merlin pause and wince halfway through a bush. He had half hoped Arthur would be able to hide his pride until the warlock was close enough to give him a hand in escaping, but in true Arthur style, he was taking his role as Crown Prince of Camelot very seriously, meaning despite the fact he had been defeated, he was still fighting, only this time with words.

"And why, oh prince, would we want to do that?" One of them sneered, picking up Arthur's own sword and holding the point under his chin, forcing Arthur's head up and making him crane his neck back.

"Because," Arthur continued, his teeth gritted as he lowered his chin again, knowing that it was driving the point of his sword deeper. "I will have you all executed for treason if you don't. Tell me who you are working for."

"What makes you think you are in a bargaining position, prince?" Once more forcing the point of the sword closer to Arthur's neck, Merlin found himself completely frozen. He didn't know what to do. Arthur wasn't aware that he was there, meaning he could potentially use magic, but he couldn't take them all out that quickly, there were too many of them surrounding the prince.

"What are you going to do?" Arthur snarled, his eyes glinting dangerously as he challenged the man. He too had worked out there was someone else in charge of these men, and knowing that whoever this person was wanted him alive, Arthur wondered how far he could push them, knowing they wouldn't kill him. Hopefully it would be enough to spark of their anger and cause them to do something foolish. If he was honest, that was what Arthur was hoping for, as he saw no other way of getting himself out of this situation, he was more than surrounded. The only blessing seemed to be that Merlin had fallen silent, hopefully an indication he had run for it like he was supposed to have done. Much as he didn't want to admit it, Arthur had a horrible feeling that would not be the case, Merlin was never one to do what he was told, no matter who or what the order was.

Arthur's question, however, seemed to have momentarily thrown the men. All were proud in managing to capture the prince, he had given them more of a fight than they had had in a long time, but they were under strict orders he was to be left. They didn't know why, but knew the price of disobeying her.

"Bind his hands," the one holding the sword suddenly snapped, but Arthur couldn't help but notice a few of the other men gave him annoyed looks at his orders. Storing the information away for later, Arthur let his eyes dart around the men both holding him and the one approaching him with the rope. To his dismay, he could find no obvious weaknesses. Even so, the prince was not going to make it easy for them, and as the four holding him attempted to force his arms behind his back, Arthur rocked back with them.

Surprised by the movement, the men were not prepared as Arthur flipped himself over backwards, wrenching his arms from their grasp as he did so and landing on his feet in a tight crouch. Watching them, he couldn't help but smirk at the stunned expressions, they had believed they had him beaten. As they once more approached, the prince lashed out with his foot, winding one as he sprung on another, wrenching the man's dagger from his hand before catching his companion across the arm with it. As they fell back, more than stunned, Arthur took his chance and ran full speed into the trees.

Unfortunately, he had not made it very far before someone came crashing into his back, immediately pinning him to the floor with absolutely no way of dislodging the crushing weight baring down on him. With a grunt, Arthur tried his utmost to throw his assailant off, but it was no good, more of the bandits had caught up with them, all of them taking great delight in helping pin the struggling prince down. Within a few moments, Arthur let his head flop back onto the ground, utterly exhausted.

"Do you give up, prince?" A cold voice asked above him, causing Arthur to raise his eyes once more, glowering.

"Never," he spat, somewhat viciously, but the man merely raised an eyebrow, smirking as if he knew something Arthur didn't. Without warning, the harsh burn of the rope tightened itself around his wrists, lashing them firmly behind his back. Glaring as he was hauled upright, Arthur could practically feel the sparks flying from his eyes. The man had been distracting him, goading his pride so he didn't hear them approaching with the rope, and to his shame, it had worked.

The group forced the prince back into the clearing and once more pushed him to his knees.

"Get the chain!" One of them yelled in delight, springing forward himself as he did so. Unable to stop them, Arthur just tried to hide how hard his heart was pounding as they threw it over his head and tightened it around his arms in the same way they had done to Merlin. He was now well and truly stuck.

"Give up?"

"I'll give up when you are in hell, you-omph!" Unable to finish his insult, Arthur choked as the material was forced between his teeth before one of the men tied it cruelly behind his head, rendering the prince speechless as well as motionless.

"Now what do we do?" One muttered, glancing about him as if he was suddenly bored. The fight had been good fun, but they now had the prince bound and gagged, and yet would receive nothing for it.

"She wants the kid, right?" The supposed leader asked, a cruel smirk on his face as he watched the helpless prince. "So we leave his royal highness here as bait, the servant will be back to free his master and then we grab him."

To jeering calls, the group melted away into the trees until Arthur was left alone in the middle of the clearing. Or at least, appeared to be alone, he knew the bandits wouldn't have gone far. Why on earth would someone go to this much trouble just to get to Merlin? Arthur only hoped the fool would have enough sense to stay away.

Yelling out in frustration, increased by the fact the sound was dramatically lost in the gag, Arthur wriggled his arms as much as he could, but to no avail. He couldn't loosen the rope, nor shrug the chain off in the slightest. How long he continued trying for, Arthur could not have said, but the sun had fully risen by the time he decided he needed a rest. Letting his head hang forward, panting with the effort of trying to free himself, Arthur visibly jumped when a twig creaked behind him.

"Don't move a muscle," a voice hissed in his ear, and if it wasn't for the gag, Arthur would have yelled out in both joy and frustration. As it was, he remained perfectly still as Merlin fumbled with the ropes around his wrists, barely managing to suppress the sigh of relief when he felt the rope slide off, allowing the rain to cool the burning sensation. He had never been so thankful for the weather as he did then. Within a matter of moments, Merlin also freed him from the gag and needing no more encouragement, Arthur tore the chain off himself. Taking his sword and dagger from the servant with a smile, the two of them stole into the trees, Arthur pulling up short when he caught sight of the three unconscious men lying in the bushes.

"Merlin, how the hell did you just carry that off? They are everywhere."

"Well, maybe some of us just use our brains rather than brawn, Sire," Merlin responded, cheeky grin firmly in place. He couldn't exactly tell Arthur how, one by one, the men had fallen to his flashing eyes, a whisper carried on the breeze that silenced them.

"Merlin, answer me. What did you do?"

"Ok, ok, so I created a distraction further downstream, there was a herd of deer resting there and I kind of spooked them into coming this way," Merlin gabbled furiously, half inventing the story as he went along. There had been deer resting downstream, he had checked whilst scouting the area for advantage points, at least Arthur wouldn't suspect anything on that front.

"They all went to look, and then I knocked those ones out, came in and freed you."

"You knocked them out?"

"With a lump of wood."

"You?"

"Hey, I did it to you before, did I not? Why is it so unbelievable?"

"Oh come on, you idiot, let's get away from here before they realise that I've gone." And taking the lead, Arthur set the pace as the two boys ran back into the forest, their feet barely making a sound. Every time he thought he could risk it, Merlin glanced behind him, whispered a word and allowed the magic to explode, covering their tracks. Whilst he had no doubt in the prince's ability, not to mention that the majority of the group were unconscious at the very least, the warlock was simply too tired for another fight. And whilst Arthur would rather die than admit it to his servant, Merlin knew the prince was struggling. He had physically fought the men, as well as lacking quite spectacularly in sleep over the last day or so. It was no surprise he was stumbling on nearly every other step. Merlin, however, valued his life too much and said not a word, only watching carefully should he need to intervene.

Luckily, Arthur drew them to a halt before that time came, suddenly swerving off the path and pulling a surprised Merlin down a hill, rolling the pair of them into a small hollow.

"You knew that was there!" Merlin said, a somewhat accusing tone infiltrating his voice. He had thought Arthur had just been running blindly through the forest, he certainly had been. It hadn't even crossed the servant's mind that his master might have a plan and know precisely where they were going.

"You have to always think ahead, Merlin, I've told you often enough."

"How can you think and run?" Merlin moaned, stretching out his aching legs with a sigh. He had done far too much running over the last few days, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his nice warm bed back in Camelot with Gaius, and actually be dry. The rain had not let up in the slightest.

"Some of us can do more than one thing at once, _Mer_lin," Arthur responded teasingly, trying to make Merlin smile again. He was feeling overwhelmed enough himself, he needed Merlin with his annoying cheerfulness in the most dire of situations, needed the boy rambling on about the unfairness of running through a forest.

"At least I didn't get myself caught," Merlin muttered, his tone, whilst still somewhat sullen, having lightened considerably. Arthur's words had been what the boy was used too, the light hearted mocking tone that had an underlying message only those close to the prince could detect.

"About that, Merlin," Arthur began, a slightly annoyed tone taking the place of the light one. Scowling at his servant, Arthur watched as Merlin began to shift uncomfortably under the gaze. As soon as he squirmed, the prince knew he had let him stew for long enough.

"Why, precisely, didn't you run when I told you too?"

"They might have killed you!"

"And standing in a bush was going to stop that, was it, Merlin?"

"I was trying to protect you!"

"Merlin, this has to stop!" Arthur suddenly exclaimed, almost sounding angry as he stood up, pacing the length of the small cave they were in as Merlin drew himself back into the side, clearly trying to make himself as small as possible.

"You have to stop thinking it is your duty, your job to protect me. You're not a knight, you're not even a soldier. You are a servant, Merlin, and whilst I'm touched, there is nothing you can protect me from that I can't do myself. You are going to get yourself killed if you carry on like this! Why do you have to be so stupid?"

His voice growing louder and louder, the last part of Arthur's speech ended in a shout, the prince rubbing his hand wearily across his eyes before sinking to his knees. This quest was going to be the death of them all, he could just sense it.

"You need to rest, Sire," Merlin muttered quietly, watching Arthur's tense posture closely. It was clear he wouldn't be able to take much more of this, he had been through too much physically and emotionally over the last few days, they both had.

"I'm fine. Someone needs to keep watch."

"I can do that, Sire. You fought of thirty men, your body needs time to recover."

"M'fine," Arthur muttered again, but this time, his words were slurred as his legs gave way beneath him, sending the prince from crouching to suddenly sitting. Shaking his head with a fond smile at Arthur's stubbornness, Merlin slowly pulled himself to his feet, crossing the small opening with just a few strides. Gently tugging on Arthur's arm, Merlin managed to get the prince propped up against the side, noting with amusement Arthur was nearly already asleep. Navigating him into a more comfortable position, the warlock frowned when he felt the heat radiating out from the wound on his arm.

"Arthur, can I look at your arm?"

"Mmm," Smirking at Arthur's response, Merlin gently peeled the shirt away, wincing when he saw the blood soaked bandage. Being as careful as he could, he somehow managed to unwrap the wound, his breath catching in his throat when he saw how angry it was looking. That was just what they needed, an infection.

"Arthur, I need to go and get some water. You have to stay awake."

"M'wake."

"Arthur, I mean it, wake up!" Knowing his master was not going to respond any time soon, Merlin drew his hand back and slapped Arthur sharply around the face, his previous smirk returning as the prince blearily opened his eyes in order to glare at his servant.

"What was that for?"

"I have to get water, stay awake." Before Arthur had a chance to use up what precious little energy he had left in responding, Merlin darted out of the cave. By some unknown fate, it was situated practically on top of a river, making the task far quicker than Merlin had dared hoped for. It took a few trips, but it took the scurrying servant no time at all to have the wound properly cleaned out. Not knowing what else to use as a fresh bandage, Merlin tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt, knowing they had to find something more substantial than that soon. Wrapping it firmly around the wound, Merlin rocked back on his heels, thinking hard. Arthur had once again given into sleep, his chest rising and falling slightly as his servant worked.

"What am I supposed to do, Gaius?" Merlin whispered into the air, wishing that his mentor was here to help. He could deal with Arthur's wound, his skills definitely allowed him to care for that one, but they had now completely lost their packs, there was no way even the powerful warlock was about to go back for the packs knowing those men were still out there somewhere looking for him. Yet he knew that Arthur especially needed food, his energy levels were almost dangerously low, what little they had eaten of the rabbit was nowhere near enough to feed the prince on a day when he sat about doing nothing, let alone a fight that could have easily cost him his life.

Sparing the sleeping man a quick glance, Merlin stole from the cave, only pausing to once more erect a shield around Arthur, stronger than the one before in order to ensure that nothing discovered the prince's whereabouts. Setting off, Merlin tried to ignore the sensation the rain was still playing across his skin as well as the fact that Arthur wasn't the only one exhausted. Merlin had been trying his utmost to ignore his own fatigue as he had battled with magic to save the prince, but that last shield had really taken its toll, the warlock was beginning to feel worryingly light headed.

Crossing back down to the river, Merlin was more than relieved to find that what little he knew about hunting and gathering food deemed to be correct, there was a late run of berries still ripe along the bank. Cramming a few into his mouth and the rest into his pockets, Merlin set about gathering what he considered to be a feast considering what they had been through. Occasionally, the odd tendril of magic was sent shooting forth, checking whether or not a certain item was edible, but by the time afternoon had arrived, Merlin was heading back to the cave, knowing Arthur would at least be able to eat his fill when he woke up again. The servant himself was stuffed, having eaten almost as much as he had picked, thankful it helped regain some of his strength. It always amused Gaius to no end that every time Merlin used a considerable amount of magic, his appetite increased tenfold, the physician was only grateful that no one else noticed the change in Merlin's diet.

Placing his finds in a corner of the cave, Merlin positioned himself by the entrance. He would awaken the prince when it got dark, Arthur wasn't the only one in dire need of sleep. For now, however, Merlin was more than content to sit and keep watch, knowing Arthur had been prepared to die in order to give him a clean getaway, why else would he have continuously thrown himself into a fight time and time again that he was clearly losing?

MMMMM

It was dark when Arthur woke again, his protesting stomach pulling the prince from his dreams. Peering about the darkened cave blearily, Arthur had to let his eyes adjust to the darkness before he carefully stretched out his aching muscles, sighing in satisfaction as the cramps disappeared. Standing up, the prince stretched his arms above his head, only to feel a small pull in his left arm as it tugged on the wound. Carefully lifting his sleeve, Arthur stared in surprise at the clean, makeshift bandage tied around it. He vaguely remembered something about Merlin telling him he couldn't sleep, but everything after that was a blur, exhaustion making him lose the battle with his body.

Spotting a rather substantial pile of food sitting in the far corner, Arthur was across the cave like a shot. It only took a matter of moments, a task Merlin would declare was impossible, before Arthur was feeling a lot better, his stomach no longer gurgling against lack of food. Wiping the back of his hand across his sticky chin, Arthur couldn't help but feel touched by his servant's thoughtfulness. It must have taken him ages to collect that amount, especially as there would have been more if Merlin himself had eaten as well.

Thinking about his servant, Arthur let his eyes roam around, looking for the boy. A small smile graced his lips when he found him. Merlin had clearly been keeping watch, he was propped up in the entrance, his posture relaxed but ready to react. His head, however, was resting on his chest as he slept on, clearly not having had the strength to stay awake any longer. Not that even Arthur could make a comment about that, the boy had nearly drowned, been enchanted, fought of bandit attacks twice and done a considerable amount of running within the last couple of days with very little sleep. Smiling fondly, Arthur frowned momentarily when he took in Merlin's position. From past experience, he knew he was going to be stiff in the morning.

Suddenly realising that whilst they were in the cave, they were keeping moderately dry, Arthur snuck past the sleeping warlock, and within seconds, was back, an arm full of wood in his hands. He had been lucky, the majority of it had been sheltered by the rain and so was reasonably dry, meaning the prince was able to soon have a small fire going. Using some of the tricks his years as a knight had taught him, Arthur was quickly able to waft the smoke out of the cave, but making sure it was not obvious enough to give away their position to anyway who might be scouting the area.

Relishing in the warmth spreading through his limbs, Arthur was surely tempted to just sit himself down in front of the fire and make himself feel properly dry for the first time in days, but as Merlin shifted slightly in his sleep, a small moan of distress forcing its way past his lips, he knew he had to accomplish what he set out to do. He owed it to his servant.

Silently approaching the sleeping boy, Arthur slipped on hand under his legs and the other bracing his back as he gently draped Merlin over his shoulders, immediately realising that out of all the places the servant could have chosen to take watch from, it had to be the only one where he could still get wet that he had settled on. Laying him down by the fire, Arthur held his breath as Merlin stirred slightly, but sagged in relief when he remained quite clearly asleep. Biting his lip, the prince carefully drew first one arm, then the other out of Merlin's jacket, wincing when he felt how sodden the material was. Removing his neckerchief as well, Arthur spread the items out by the fire, hoping by the time morning came, they would once again be dry. Considering how wet they were, Merlin would actually be warmer with them off.

Finally allowing himself to sink gratefully down next to the fire, Arthur slipped his own jacket off and spread it next to Merlin's. He knew full well they couldn't leave until at least late morning, they both had too much recuperation to do before risking the forest once more, so the prince was adamant they were going to leave as strong and ready to go as they could manage.

Stretching himself out to his full length, Arthur knew there was no need for either of them to keep watch. He couldn't explain it, is was as if something was protecting him, preventing any harm from coming to him. He had felt the same when Merlin had first awoken him with news of the attack the night before, but the feeling had disappeared almost as soon as Arthur registered its presence. This time, however, it lingered, making the prince cushion his head on his arms and drift back into a peaceful slumber, feeling safer than he had felt in a long time. Little did he know it was because of the sleeping boy next to him that he felt this way, he had no idea the strength of the shield Merlin had cast. In fact, considering his exhaustion when he had mumbled the incantation under his breath, the warlock himself didn't realise he had just conjured one of the most powerful protection spells ever known. Even Morgause, for all of her intentions, would not be able to find Arthur now, and in protecting Arthur, Merlin had unknowingly protected himself, for one could not see Merlin without seeing Arthur. And thanks to the spell, no one but Merlin, at this precise moment in time, could see Arthur.

**Just a warning now, within the next few chapters, this begins to get really dark. The next chapter is ok, but the one after that changes the tone of the story. If you want to stick with light and fluffy, stop here! You have been warned!**

**(but please don't really stop) :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so so much for all of those amazing reviews. Special thank you to the ones I can't respond directly too! It really means the world to me, please keep them coming and let me know what you think?**

Merlin didn't want to wake up, he was remarkably warm, dry and comfortable. However, a sizzling noise within the cave they were in, not to mention the most mouth watering smell quickly drew the warlock from his slumber. Slowly peeling open one eye, then eventually the other, Merlin realised with a start he was lying down, next to a brightly burning fire. Blinking in bewilderment, he quickly pushed himself into a sitting position, eyes roaming the cave in concern, but on seeing Arthur crouched the other side of the fire, carefully watching whatever was letting out the delicious smell, Merlin relaxed again, letting his head flop back down on to the ground.

"Morning," he said quietly, trying to hide his yawn at the same time. He could have quite comfortably drifted back off to sleep, he was so warm and relaxed.

"Guess again," Arthur said with a laugh, glancing up from his task just long enough to regard his servant in amusement. Not that he would have ever admitted it, but he had been getting slightly worried that Merlin was never going to wake up, the time just passed and yet the warlock had not stirred.

"It's the middle of the afternoon, Merlin. You slept all night and all morning, leaving some of us to sort everything out."

"Yeah, well, you are capable," Merlin muttered, more out of habit than actually meaning anything. He could tell by the fact the prince was so cheerful that he had obviously not only slept well, but had eaten well as well. Glancing over into the corner where he had left the supplies the night before, the servant blinked in surprise, for he expected it to be empty. Instead, it was full, containing far more than he had managed to collect in his exhausted state last night. And the fact that Arthur was cooking something could only mean one thing…

"You went out," Merlin said bluntly, an almost accusatory tone infiltrating his voice.

"I was bored and hungry and you weren't going to wake up. But Merlin, look, look how much food there is!" Following Arthur's eye line, Merlin gaped. It wasn't just the pile of berries that had been replenished, Arthur had obviously been hunting, and judging by the amount sitting by his feet, had been successful.

"How-? There wasn't anything about the other day."

"I know, it's great, isn't it? It was like they didn't even know I was there. The wind, my position, everything was wrong, I didn't think I'd stand a chance, but nothing moved, it was like it was just waiting for me. I want to have another night here before we set off, you need to regain your strength, so if we cook it all, we can take it with us."

"In what?" Merlin murmured, but his voice was full of praise. Or at least, as much as he would let it be when praising Arthur, he didn't like the prince knowing how good he really was. He wasn't even sure if Arthur realised quite what he had managed to do. If they kept it properly, they would have enough food to last for several weeks, the animal hides could be used to water skins, possibly even thread. For Merlin's clothes were in tatters, and whilst the prince's were made of better quality, even his weren't looking too good.

"I thought of that," Arthur declared happily, looking overwhelming pleased with himself. "There are more reeds down by the river, you can make some packs. They won't be the strongest, but they'll keep us going for now."

"Oh," Merlin stated, now more than impressed with his master. Maybe he had never given Arthur enough credit, the constant hunts as well as all of his training had obviously given him a better sense of surviving in the wild than his servant would have thought possible for the arrogant prince of Camelot.

"Go and fetch them then, _Mer_lin."

For once, Merlin let the tone slid past him, he was too busy trying to get his head around the fact that something was going right for them. Walking out of the cave with almost a spring in his step, Merlin quickly made his way down to the river, knowing that they were going to have a busy afternoon ahead. Arthur had obviously been back from his hunt for a while, the majority of the meat had been cooked already, which would save a lot of time for preparations for other things. Hearing a slight movement, Merlin froze as the deer in the tree gave him a somewhat startled impression, before bolting into the forest. Not that that was an issue, Merlin was more than used to things doing that on a hunt, something that annoyed Arthur greatly. He knew the prince was good, almost the best in fact, but how had he managed to get so close if all of his positioning was wrong? Merlin had been on hunts with Arthur before, knew how irritated he got when the wind was blowing the wrong direction because they could never get close enough. Yes, he was good, but not _that_ good.

It was only as he was gathering the last armful of reeds, once more soaked through from the rain, that the answer suddenly came to Merlin. He thought he had felt the presence of a powerful spell back in the cave, the air almost seemed to cringle with the aura of magic, but due to being half asleep, the warlock had thought nothing of it. Now that coupled with Arthur's amazing hunting abilities, and Merlin knew precisely what was going on, what he had done. He had never removed the shield he had established around the prince when he first went to collect food. He knew it had been a powerful one, his exhausted mind had been going into overdrive about what could happen if he was not there to protect the heir to the throne and he had muttered the first spell that came into his head. It was only now he realised quite how strong it had been, it didn't just protect Arthur, it completely shielded his existence.

As useful as it was to have an almost invisible prince to everyone but Merlin, the servant knew he couldn't keep it in place. For one thing, Arthur had put this hunting trip down to good luck, yet he knew the rules of the hunt, it wouldn't take long before he began to get suspicious, Merlin knew his mind was still on edge. Another sorcerer would also be able to sense the presence of the spell if not the prince if they happened to cross paths, and Merlin had no interest in trying to explain to Arthur he had been made invisible. And more than anything else, Merlin knew he had to remove the spell before it killed him. It was powerful, far too powerful than anything he normally did, let alone when he was exhausted. It would simply sap on his energy reserves until he collapsed, and then Arthur would be exposed anyway, for the spell would fade the moment Merlin lost control.

Placing the reeds by his feet, Merlin crouched down, making sure he was hidden from view. It would do no good if Arthur came looking for him now. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for better access to the magic, Merlin let the words roll of his tongue.

"Aufero contego ex inter procer." With a sudden whoosh, Merlin felt the effects of the spell disappear, it was almost as if a wave had rolled over him, making the warlock sway slightly with a small bout of light headiness as Arthur's protection was removed. He had put down feeling tired to all of their excursions, but as the spell was lifted, Merlin felt a sudden burst of energy hit him, making him spring to his feet, pick up the reeds and practically race to the cave. He only hoped that Arthur hadn't felt the opposite now that the spell had been removed, the prince had been in such a good mood.

To Merlin's delight, he was still fine, although standing in the entrance to the small hollow, sword in hand as he looked out anxiously across the river. Seeing his servant racing towards him, normal grin in place, Arthur visibly relaxed, the grip on his sword loosening as he stalked back in, determined he was not going to burn a single thing and therefore prove Merlin wrong.

"Are you alright?" Merlin had no sooner reached the cave before Arthur was firing questions, his eyes flickering in concern. Suddenly feeling anxious about what the prince may have felt, Merlin decided to play it dumb. Not that Arthur would notice the difference.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, nothing. There was just something strange, a feeling, almost like wind…" his voice trailing off, Arthur stared absently into the fire for a moment before suddenly snapping to attention, almost cursing himself from getting distracted from the task. They had lots to do, and Arthur knew it was going to be hard work, but this was the first thing that had gone right for them in a long while and the prince was damned if he wasn't going to make the most of it.

"Dry your jacket out over that side of the fire, Merlin, we may as well not catch the chills whilst we have time to keep warm. Then use the reeds to make the packs, remember I showed you how last time? Make them as strong as you can."

"Yes, Sire," Merlin responded, somewhat respectfully. Arthur may have been giving his orders like normal, but Merlin knew the prince had some knowledge about how to survive this, and it wasn't as if he was just sitting there doing nothing. Shrugging off his jacket, the warlock sat himself down crossed legged on the floor and pulled the bundle towards him, setting to work.

The two worked companionably for the rest of the afternoon, the light in the cave slowly dwindling away, yet they laboured on. Arthur had finished cooking the meat and had prepared the vast majority of it to be able to travel, keeping the hides from two of his catches and making them into water skins in the time it took Merlin to almost finish the packs.

"I'm going to find more wood and fill these up," Arthur muttered suddenly, standing up and stretching out his aching legs. He hadn't realised how long he had spent in the same position, but as all the blood came suddenly rushing back, he was forcibly reminded. Leaving the warmth and dryness of the cave, Arthur set out into the rain, but for the first time in a while, he didn't mind, knowing that he would be able to dry himself off again afterwards. The rest of having a good night's sleep, a full stomach and the chance to have a slightly easier day had worked wonders for the young man, making him feel more positive and optimistic than he had done for a long time. He was deeply concerned about his missing Knights, not to mention the fact he still had to try and look out for Merlin, but now life itself didn't seem to be working against him, Arthur was soon gathering more fire wood with a slight spring in his step.

It wasn't just Arthur that was feeling positive. The second the prince had left the cave, Merlin had let his eyes turn golden. Spell after spell rolled off his tongue, reinforcing the packs, preserving the meat so it would last even longer, making the hides tougher so they wouldn't split. He knew they had done well, but Merlin was not going to leave anything to chance, and whilst he hadn't moved, by the time Arthur returned, a spring in his step, everything in the cave had been touched by magic in some way.

"What are you looking so happy about?" Arthur asked somewhat accusingly as he strolled back into the cave, dropping the wood by his servant's feet with the clear indication it should be Merlin to sort through it.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Merlin asked, eyebrows raised as he immediately began sorting through the pile, finding some dry enough to put straight on the fire and those that needed a little airing first. A subtle glance at his master, however, gave away what the prince was truly feeling, for a small gleam was shimmering in his eye. He too, was happy.

"Because you can take the first watch." Arthur declared smugly, throwing himself down by the fire. After eating their fill, the prince curled up, his eyes reflecting the dancing flames. Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin watched him, trying to gauge what their next actions would be. He hadn't seen Arthur this relaxed for a long time, but knew the prince would not be able to stay here longer than he deemed necessary, his men were on his mind too much. It was just a matter of who they carried on searching for, the missing members of their party or Morgana. If he was truly honest with himself, Merlin hoped it was the former. Within only a matter of moments, Arthur had closed his eyes, his breathing evening out as he fell asleep. Taking up position near the entrance of the small hollow, Merlin couldn't help but smirk at how easily the prince trusted him to keep watch now, that had never used to be the case.

MMMMMMM

Leon paced the small cell the knights were being held in, his frustration levels reaching exceedingly dangerous levels. They were all unbound, but for all of their efforts, the lock on the door could be neither picked nor forced, forcing them to draw the conclusion that Morgause must have reinforced it with magic. It didn't surprise the man, she did indeed seem mad, not to mention desperate. One by one, the men had all been taken from the cell, and questioned. Leon's mind was still spinning about some of the things she asked, and some of the things she had done when his answers didn't satisfy her. All of them had returned furious, apart from Owain, whose trembles outweighed the rest of them put together, almost as if he had to fight her, knowing something, but not letting their captor know it.

As he paced, Leon was straining his ears. She had Tristam. And despite trying to keep a professional head in all of this, Leon was practically beside himself with worry. The young man was so close to cracking. He had done well, maintaining his pride and behaving the way a Knight would be expected, no one could fault him that. But still, he was just a boy, and being faced with magic, something he had never experienced before, only knew it was supposedly evil, Leon was not sure how he was going to react. It may just be the wobble too much that pushed him over the edge.

He didn't have to wait long to find out. As he turned on his heel to pace back the other way, the door to the dungeon clanged open, causing them all to look up suddenly. Tristam was dragged in by two men, who paused long enough to untie his hands before throwing the boy into the cell. Catching him around the chest, Leon quickly stopped his fall, knowing from experience that crashing into the stone floor hurt. As the cell door slammed shut behind him, the Knights didn't hear the key turn in the lock once more, didn't hear the jeering comments of the men. They were all crouched around their comrade.

"Tristam? Tristam, look at me, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Percival's frantic questioning made Leon smile, despite everything. He clearly wasn't the only one worried about the youngest member of their party.

"M'fine," the youth slurred somewhat, using Leon as a brace as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Resting him against the cell wall, Leon smiled in pride as the young man opened his eyes, offering his mentor a smile of his own.

"Although I think she knows every stage of combat there now is." Smiles leapt onto the faces of the rest of the men as Gawain gave a short bark of laughter. Knowing that he was going to be alright, Leon resumed his pacing, inwardly glowing with pride, not just at Tristam, but all his men. Morgause's frustration levels would certainly be near boiling point now, especially if the youngest Knight had just recited the stages of his training. He was lucky he could still remember them, Leon was not sure whether he would have been able to, not technically anyway. He was fine when he was in combat, but the precise stages the Knights were taught before the trials now eluded him completely.

"What do you mean, he got away?" The angry shout made all of the men suddenly look towards the door in surprise. The men who had brought Tristam back had yet to leave, meaning for the first time in a while, the main door to the dungeon was open. It was just a shame they had no way of getting out of the cell. An incoherent mumble responded to the angry voice, followed by a swift thud and the sound of something falling. Sharing glances, Leon knew that all of his men knew precisely what that had been. Morgause wasn't going to have any of her bandits left if she carried on this way.

"You two!" Their heads snapping round to attention, the men outside the cell jumped as visibly as the ones inside it as Morgause suddenly appeared in the doorway, the light from the corridor framing her and giving her a somewhat impressive silhouette.

"Go upstairs now, your mistress has a job for you." As quickly as they could, the two men scurried out, but Leon's mind was racing. Was Morgause talking about herself, or was there, as he had been suspecting for a while, someone else residing in this strange castle, hidden from the Knights.

Watching her prisoners with narrowed eyes, Morgause stalked forward.

"How does he do it, he is just a servant," she murmured softly, more to herself than the men as she watched them carefully, obviously trying to get a reaction. Whilst he knew precisely who she was talking about, Leon played dumb.

"Talking to yourself, first sign of madness, you know," he said somewhat conversationally, only to gasp as he was suddenly flung against the bars on the far side of the cell. Sinking to the floor with the breath driven out of him, Leon pulled himself painfully to his feet. That was going to leave a new set of bruises to add to his quite impressive collection.

"Merlin," she spat viscously, almost as if the very name burnt her lips to say it. "I can catch the best Knights in the realm without an issue, but a simple serving boy escapes. Why?"

"He puts his left foot forward and his right foot back," Tristam commented lightly, shifting Morgause's gaze onto him instead. Immediately, he gasped, hands flying to his throat as his body raised a couple of inches off the ground.

"Let him go!" Percival and Leon yelled together, trying to shield the youth from her burning eyes. Luckily, however, Tristam's distraction meant that none of them, not even Morgause, noticed Owain stiffen slightly. By the time the others were done yelling at her and Tristam had sunk to the floor, his face pale and eyes wide, the Knight had once more gained control of his emotions. He had been right in his suspicions that Morgause did not know about Merlin's gifts, that she only wanted him to be able to get to Arthur.

"I'll ask again," she said quietly, her voice full of potential danger that even Tristam with his new found confidence dared not cross. "How does he manage it?"

"He just gets lucky," Percival muttered, knowing silence was not the answer she wanted. What the Knights couldn't tell her though, was just how Merlin did manage to escape death defying situations without a scratch. He truly was lucky. Looking around their faces, Morgause inwardly sighed. They didn't know, she wasn't going to get the answers she wanted from them.

"Then he's luck is just about to run out," she practically snarled, her voice dripping with venom. Spinning on her heel, she marched back out of the dungeon, her blond hair billowing gracefully behind her.

"Why does she want Merlin so much?" Gawain eventually asked, knowing he was just voicing what they were all thinking. "He is just a servant."

"No he is not," Owain suddenly spoke up, making them to turn and look towards him in surprise. The Knight had remained silent ever since he had been returned to the cell from his questioning. "He's Arthur's friend."

And just like that, all the men knew the servant they had all become so fond of didn't stand a chance. Morgause was out to bring down the prince, and what easier way than taking out one of his closest friends? Everyone knew the bond between the two of them went beyond just master and servant, even if they themselves wouldn't admit it. Merlin's time was running out.

"Poor kid," Percival muttered. Despite his earlier annoyance with the boy, Merlin was one of them.

MMMMMM

"_Mer_lin, what _are_ you doing?" Arthur drawled, hitching his pack further onto his shoulders as he glanced back over to see what his idiot of a servant had managed to do this time. The muffled curse made him realise Merlin had been hoping the prince wouldn't notice, which naturally meant Arthur had to comment on it.

"It's not my fault, the root came out of nowhere," Merlin moaned pathetically, climbing back to his feet from where he had been sprawled across the forest floor. He was sure he had been stepping exactly where Arthur's had placed his feet, yet the root had not tripped the prince.

"Of course it did, Merlin," Arthur responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he set back off again, knowing Merlin would eventually catch back up again. It didn't seem to matter the speed the two of them were travelling at, Merlin always managed to end up face down on the floor. "Because the root is out to get you, you better protect yourself."

And so saying, Arthur leant over to the side, snapping a small twig from the bush and tossing it over his shoulder towards his servant. The small "Ow!" the accompanied his action meant the prince knew without turning around that his aim, as usual, had been spot on.

"You really are a clotpole, you know," Merlin called, rubbing his head with his hand. It was amazing how much a small twig could hurt, Arthur always managed to get it on the sensitive spot on his head.

"You really need to come up with a new insult, you know," Arthur shouted back, not missing a beat. Striding along, the prince let the rain wash over him, almost no longer feeling it, he had become so accustomed to being wet. He could already hear Merlin muttering away to himself, clearly trying to come up with something he could use against the prince. Arthur had to give him some credit, clotpole had been such a spur of the moment insult, and yet had stuck. The prince was slightly apprehensive this time having given his servant time to think about it, it might actually be something good this time. Smirking as Merlin managed to forget to duck the low hanging branch, Arthur knew the rest had done them both good, he was in far greater spirits than he had been for a while. And having Merlin crashing along behind him made him feel like things were back the way they used to be.

_Crash!_

Spinning on the spot, stunned, Arthur let his eyes roam the surrounding area, wondering what the noise could have been. Even for Merlin, that was impressively loud. For a moment, Arthur couldn't even see his servant, but eventually, his eyes fell on the huddled figure underneath a tree, looking slightly bewildered.

"What the hell happened, Merlin?" Arthur cried, somewhat exasperated. Striding back towards his servant, Arthur paused half way there, resting his hands on his hips. Merlin was extremely talented in being clumsy.

"I…I don't know," Merlin said somewhat hesitantly. That one certainly hadn't been his fault, he knew that much. One moment he had been walking along thinking of new insults (he was started to like _dollophead_), when suddenly, he had felt himself being thrown sideways, almost as if a strong wind had come out of nowhere, yet Arthur had obviously not felt a thing.

Before either of them could make another comment, Merlin suddenly let out a startled yelp, making Arthur jump in surprise. As he watched, Merlin rose up the tree, before suddenly being flung across the path and landing hard on the other side,

"Merlin! Are you alright?"

"Mmm," Merlin groaned, sitting up and trying to stop the world from spinning somewhat alarmingly around him. His eyes darting around, Arthur slowly shrugged off his pack and drew his sword from his belt, the familiar weight in his hands making him feel a lot more comfortable.

Before he had the chance to use it on anything, Merlin once more rose into the air and hung suspended above the path. His eyes were wide with fright, but the servant was struggling hard against the invisible force field holding him up. This time, he knew precisely what was going on, someone with powerful magic was nearby. If only he could get Arthur to go and look for them, he would be able to use his own magic to fight back.

"What do I do?" Arthur yelled, making Merlin stare at him in surprise. He hadn't heard Arthur sound that frantic for a long time, but the prince had realised something Merlin hadn't. First the Knights, then the bandit attack, and now this? Someone was trying to make him end up on his own, and Arthur knew that any moment now, he was going to lose Merlin as well. Before Merlin could respond, he was once more catapulted forward, only this time, he was flung directly at the prince.

Arthur didn't have time to so much as blink before Merlin suddenly crashed into him, both of them hitting the ground hard, all the breath knocked out of them.

"Stay down," Arthur hissed, jumping to his feet and standing over Merlin, sword in hand. His gaze swept across the area, but for the life of him, Arthur could not find who was responsible. Judging by the fact Merlin had been floating, he knew they were dealing with a sorcerer at the very least, but no one was in sight. Tossing his sword lightly from hand to hand, Arthur didn't know what to do. He could go and look for the sorcerer and have the chance of bringing them down, potentially finding his Knights as well, but that would leave Merlin unprotected.

"Merlin…"

"Go and find them!" Merlin gasped, still struggling to get his breath back. Arthur didn't need telling twice and shot off into the trees. The second the prince had disappeared from sight, Merlin drew himself to his feet, standing tall.

"Who are you?" He called commandingly, no longer the servant, but the warlock of prophecy.

"You know who I am," a voice came floating back, making the hairs on Merlin's arms stand up on edge. He knew that voice, it was one he had last heard on perhaps what was one of the worst days of his life.

"Morgause." He spat, allowing his magic to build up within him. He knew she had yet to discover his secret, but whilst Arthur of sight, Merlin was not going to be taken so easily.

Unfortunately for the warlock, however, Arthur chose that moment to come sprinting back onto the path, face flushed.

"There is nothing around, I can't find any clues," He gasped, leaning over as he tried to regain his breath. Glancing up at Merlin, he was surprised to see him standing so proud, yet there was a strange light in his eyes as he stared down the path behind Arthur's shoulder. Spinning in that direction, Arthur couldn't see anything, but suddenly found himself shooting backwards a couple of paces, hitting the tree behind him hard.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled, trying to come over to the prince, but found he couldn't move more than a few paces in any direction before he hit something hard. With a sinking heart, he knew precisely what it was, a web of sorts. He was trapped.

"Run, Merlin," Arthur grunted, trying to move himself away from the tree, but found it was as if a thousand invisible hands were holding him in place, the closest he could get to moving was tipping his head forward before it was slammed back again. Merlin was just standing in the middle of the path, looking scared.

"Merlin, run!"

"I can't," the servant whispered, making Arthur roll his eyes. He had thought he had made his feelings quite clear on the servant's attitude towards having to save him.

"What did I say, Merlin?" Arthur growled, once more trying to tip his head forward and then seeing stars slightly as it was slammed back. Locking eyes with Merlin, Arthur felt something clench in is gut at the look in the boy's eye.

"As in I physically can't," Merlin whispered again, returning Arthur's gaze. Understanding suddenly leapt into Arthur's eyes and he struggled all the harder against the force holding him.

"No!" Even Arthur fell silent as a dark mist suddenly settled on the path, slowly obscuring the two boys from each other.

"Arthur?"

"Merlin? Are you there? Merlin?"

"Arthur, I-," With a sudden gasp, Merlin's voice was cut off.

"Merlin? Merlin, answer me, damn it! Merlin!"

As sudden as the mist came, it lifted again, bringing the path back into Arthur's vision. At the same time, the hands holding him disappeared, causing the prince to stumble forwards as his balance was suddenly restored to him with no warning at all. Landing on his hands and knees, Arthur slowly lifted his head, knowing what he was going to see and yet knowing he had to look.

"No!" The prince yelled, all of his frustration taken out on his fist as he slammed it into the ground, splitting the skin on his knuckles. He didn't care though. He had failed. He had let his enemy win.

For on the path in front of him, there was nothing. Merlin was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you so so much for all of those wonderful reviews, it means so much to me! Also a big thank you for those I can't respond directly too, really appreciate it guys!**

**My plan with this is to aim it at being about 20 chapters long, but whether that will happen or not. I have a feeling it is more likely going to be around the 18 mark, but never mind.**

Groaning, Merlin slowly peeled his eyes open, wincing as the sunlight streamed into them. Deciding it was far too bright, the warlock squeezed them shut again, only to have a hand cup his cheek.

"Open your eyes, Merlin. I want you to be awake for this." As a bolt of energy shot from the hand into him, Merlin yelped slightly, but opened his eyes all the same. The energy brought awareness with it, and for the first time since he had regained consciousness, Merlin became aware of his surroundings, and the situation he was in. He had thought he had sore wrists, but considering ever single part of him hurt, had thought nothing more of it. Now, however, the warlock suddenly realised why there was a burning sensation around both of them and why his shoulders felt like they were screaming. With a sudden gasp, Merlin lifted his head, staring around him in horror.

He was suspended from the ceiling by iron manacles locked around his wrists, his feet dangling at least a foot from the floor. His head was pounding, affecting his vision as he fought the urge just to surrender back into the darkness. Another shot of energy, however, prevented him from doing that, searing through his body and making his nerves respond, feeling as if they were on fire.

"Welcome back, servant." Shifting his gaze onto the woman standing in front of him, Merlin glared as best as he could, but Morgause merely regarded him with a cool indifference, not showing the trouble she had gone through to try and capture the servant. She knew the Knights all thought she was just trying to break Arthur, and whilst that was indeed an added bonus, they had no idea just how much loathing she had for the boy hanging helplessly in front of her. And now he was hers, and she could make him pay for trying to poison her dear sister.

"What do you want?" Merlin asked, and despite herself, Morgause was impressed. His voice was controlled, the pain and frustration could be heard within it, but he kept his temper in check. That was more than she could say for the Knights, they had all attempted to lash out in frustration. Maybe it was because, unlike them, Merlin was aware quite what she could do, he was one of the few who had been awake to know it was her that had almost bought Camelot to its knees. In fact, if it hadn't been for his meddlesome ways, she would have succeeded. The thought making her blood boil, Morgause drew back her hand, preparing to strike the boy in front of her when a door in the corner of the room creaked open, unknowingly saving Merlin.

"Mistress, the prisoners are fussing."

"I told you not to disturb me."

"One of them looks like he is dying."

"Then leave him."

"But what about your plan?"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Morgause snapped, eventually tearing her gaze from Merlin to face the man framed nervously in the doorway behind her. The second she turned away, Merlin shut his eyes, trying to regain control of his feelings and his magic. He could feel it trying to leap to his defence, but he knew, considering the position he was in, it would only make things worse if Morgause found out what he could do, it would provide him with no escape.

"Bring them all up here, I don't care if you have to drag them." Her orders barked out, Merlin opened his eyes just in time to look like he didn't care about the position he was in as Morgause spun back around. Seeing the fury blazing in her eyes, Merlin smirked.

"Descent in the ranks?" He asked mockingly, knowing that his situation couldn't get a lot worse and that she was out for revenge anyway. The only thing he still had the power to do was to go down fighting, winding her up enough that killing him wouldn't satisfy her. Gaius always warned him about his cheek, it had landed him in trouble with the prince enough times, but Merlin was not going to let her have the satisfaction of knowing she had him scared and cornered. This time, however, there was no well timed arrival to save the servant from the stinging slap Morgause delivered him, immediately bringing the tears springing to his eyes despite his best efforts not to show how much it hurt.

"You'd know about that, wouldn't you, servant? And as for your previous question, what do I want? I think you know."

"Revenge is so petty," Merlin practically moaned, trying to roll his shoulders to ease the tension, but to no avail. When he glanced back at Morgause, it was to find her regarding him with an almost interested expression, one eyebrow smoothly raised.

"What?" Merlin couldn't help but blurt out. He thought he preferred it when she looked at him in anger, at least that way he knew what she was dealing with. Seeing her watch him with nothing short of curiosity was just disconcerting.

"There is something about you, Merlin. You're just a lowly servant, and yet act as if you have all the power in the world at your disposal. Tell me, why are you doing it?"

"Like I'd tell you anything," Merlin spat, once more trying to shift his weight away from his wrists, but he had no such luck. There was simple nothing he could use as leverage, that was the slight problem of being a foot off the ground. Now if Morgause could just go away, his problem would be sorted, a quick spell and he wouldn't be able to feel anything.

"Oh we have time, servant." Morgause responded, a small smile playing across her mouth and causing Merlin to swallow. He did not like the sound of that. The sorceress began to circle slowly around him, now and again delivering stinging bolts of energy into his body that, despite his best efforts, had Merlin yelping in pain. He couldn't help it, it was like his tongue had a mind of its own, betraying exactly what his body was feeling.

"I'm still not telling you anything," Merlin panted between gritted teeth, determined that he was going to keep some sort of power over the situation, despite knowing it was already way out of his control.

"I didn't ask you anything," Morgause responded calmly, coming to a stop in front of him. Her smirk merely widened at the glare Merlin was attempting to send her way. Resting her palm directly over his heart, the witch locked eyes with her prisoner, knowing by the way he subconsciously held his breath he was aware of what she could do if she released the magic at that spot. He would be dead before she removed her hand.

"Milady, the prisoners, as requested."

Morgause slowly twisted her body around, but remained looking at Merlin as she did so. After what felt like the longest minute of the warlock's life, she eventually removed her hand, turning her head away from Merlin to regard the line of men standing at the end of the room. All were once more bound, their hands tightly tied behind their backs, but they were not joined together this time. She knew the men had jumped to do her bidding so quickly they wouldn't have wanted to keep her waiting with trying to get the Knights to co-operate. None of the men were looking at her, however, their eyes were fixed on the figure hanging from the ceiling. _Her_ ceiling. This is why she wanted them here, to know that she always won. She had said she wanted Merlin, and despite all the trouble he had put her through, she had him.

"Merlin?" The man on the end was the one who had spoken, the one she knew was leader of this merry group. Yet his defiance and confidence seemed to have disappeared, the blood draining from his face as he watched Merlin. Glancing behind her with a smirk, Morgause raised an eyebrow in amusement. This was the reaction she had been after.

"Hey, Leon," Merlin responded, his voice weary and quiet. Morgause knew he would be hurting, not just from the energy bolts, but from the whole transportation here, the mist was a speciality of hers, but did tend to leave the victim rather disorientated for a while.

"We've been looking for you."

"I would say you found us," Leon responded, his voice close to cracking.

"Quiet," Morgause snapped, bored already of their talk. She had brought them here to make them realise it was fruitless to resist her, not for them all to get sentimental on her. It was no fun when they were moping around, unless it was her doing that made them that way.

"Let them go, Morgause," a quiet voice said behind her, making her whirl around in surprise. Merlin had sounded so commanding, his voice set with determination as his eyes glinted dangerously. What he thought he could do, Morgause had no idea, but it was highly amusing to see him fighting back. Morgana hadn't been given the chance to fight back before he had tried to take her life.

"Why?" And so saying, Morgause once more placed her hand on Merlin, only this time, in the centre of his forehead. She could see the men watching her, knew that none of them realised what she could do. But Merlin knew, she could tell by the way his breathing suddenly quickened, and as quickly as he tried to hide it, she saw the flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Leave him alone!" One of the Knights yelled, his tone trying to be commanding but losing the effect somewhat by the tremor. With a cruel smirk, the witch locked eyes with Merlin, both of them playing the waiting game. Knowing he was not going to look away, Morgause released her power, slamming it into the servant, this time causing him to scream in pain and shock.

"Merlin!"

"Stop it!"

"Let him go!" Removing her hand, Morgause watched as Merlin slumped forward. He was still conscious, but only just, panting in a desperate attempt to force the air back into his lungs.

"You poisoned my sister, Merlin. This is only the beginning for you." Her voice, whilst threatening, was so quiet that no one but the servant could hear it. Shakily raising his head, Merlin looked at her with watery eyes.

"You gave me no choice," he whispered, his voice sounding as if his heart was breaking.

"Take them away," Morgause called over her shoulder, hearing her men jump to do her bidding, but not looking away from Merlin. She had waited nearly 10 months to seek revenge, and now it was hers. She was going to enjoy this.

MMMMMM

Trudging down the path, Arthur hefted his pack further onto his shoulders, ignoring the low throbbing coming from his arm. He knew he should probably change the bandage again, but with having no one around to help him once more tie it, he didn't want to risk it. The prince was more than aware that carrying Merlin's pack as well as his own was not one of his better ideas, but he knew his servant would want it back when he finally managed to find him again. He would never hear the end of it if he left it for nature to once more reclaim, the warlock had spent far too long on trying to make them as strong as possible. The idea that he may not find the servant again didn't even cross his mind, Arthur knew he had to keep positive or else he would just break down in the middle of the path. He couldn't quite believe what had happened. The Knights going were one thing, but the prince couldn't shift the image of Merlin being flung across the path from his mind. Someone had been out to get them, and what shamed Arthur more than anything was that they had succeeded. The prince never failed, his father did not tolerate failure and so the son had done his utmost to not give him another reason to be disappointed in his heir.

He was walking at a punishing speed, determined to try and cover as much ground as physically possible, and more. He had been walking for hours, glad he was carrying so much food, eating as he scoured the area. The feeling of being followed had yet to reside, yet Arthur didn't feel like it was a threatening presence. Instead, it was more leading him in the right direction, although how he could know that, he had no idea. It was as if the feeling was worse when he was travelling down the right path, almost as if he was leading whatever it was back home again.

Arthur knew he was being foolish, setting off after something magical on his own when it had so easily removed any protection the Knights offered and then the companionship his servant had offered. As much as he tried to hide it, Arthur was scared. Not having someone constantly moaning in his ear was something he had once considered to be a blessing, but now he was desperate to have Merlin tell him he was being a fool, to sit obstinately down and refuse to move until Arthur saw sense, he had done it before.

"Can't stop," Arthur grunted to himself, trying to push himself to a pace faster than his body was capable. It was as if by searching for his missing companions, he was running from what had happened. He had failed them all, the Knights, Merlin, Morgana. One by one they had been lost to him at the hand of a sorcerer, and it was that which was destroying the prince more than anything. It would have been kinder to just kill him than let him live with the guilt.

The shrill giggle drew him from his musings with seconds to spare. Freezing where he was, Arthur cursed as he carefully placed his foot back down again. That had been far too close. The hunters trap was mere inches away from his leg, sitting in the exact spot he had been planning to let his foot fall. He would have been rendered helpless before he could have so much as blinked.

"Who's there?" The prince called into the surrounding area, hoping beyond hope that now he was alone, whatever was following him was going to feel brave enough to come out.

"I'm not going to hurt you, look…" Breaking off mid-sentence, Arthur drew the sword from his belt and threw it across the clearing, inwardly wincing as the metal he spent so long looking after clanged noisily to the ground.

"Please, just show yourself." Determined to try and not appear threatening in the slightest, Arthur waited with baited breath for the creature to reveal itself. He was going to stay true to his word, no matter what it was. Apart from the bandit attack and the time Merlin disappeared, the laughter had saved their lives, put Arthur on guard where he was otherwise slipping. He owed this thing not only his life, but Merlin's, if not the Knights as well.

For a few moments, nothing stirred, everything was silent. Cursing, Arthur made to collect his sword when the bushes to his right suddenly rustled. Freezing once more, Arthur spun slowly around, his eyes searching frantically for anything that might give away the presence of his mysterious follower. The bush rustled again, and then the prince blinked, not quite registering what his brain was seeing.

"Wha-, who-…?" Unable to form a coherent sentence, the prince just blinked, stunned. For floating in front of him, about the size of his fist, an electric blue figure whirred merrily around the bush, travelling at such a speed Arthur couldn't focus on it long enough to work out quite what it was he was witnessing. It was small, fast and most definitely had wings, but apart from that, the prince was lost. Even Gaius had never mentioned anything that would fit this description. Swallowing hard, Arthur tried again to address his small saviour.

"Who are you?" Deciding it would be rude to ask "what" the thing was, the baffled, yet somewhat bemused young man gave up trying to follow its flight, it was making his eyes ache. The thing did not answer, but instead laughed once more, whizzing even faster until Arthur's had to squeeze his eyes shut. Even then, there was a streak of electric blue across his lids. When he finally managed to regain enough of his sense to open them again, Arthur immediately noted the thing had stopped whizzing around. Instead, it was hanging in front of him, allowing the prince to get a better look. He had no idea what manner of creature this was, but it had a curious little face as it watched him.

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?" The creature mimicked before once more bursting into peals of laughter.

"I'm Arthur. Who are you?"

"I'm Arthur. Who are you?" Rolling his eyes as his own words were simply repeated back to him, Arthur shook his head before walking across the clearing and once more placing his sword back into its sheath. Having the comforting weight of the weapon immediately made the prince feel a lot safer, it was not a feeling he was accustomed to being without.

"You won't need that." The shrill voice suddenly sounded again, making the prince turn around, surprised. He hadn't said anything. Staring at the creature, Arthur watched it closely, waiting to see if it would speak again. When the silence remained, he decided to try and break it. Arthur couldn't help but figure he had nothing to lose.

"Why won't I need it?"

"Metal no good against Mistress." The creature once more dissolved into fits of laughter, but Arthur merely stared.

"What do you mean?"

"Mistress has magic. Mistress has your friends, yes, Mistress does. Sword no good."

"You know where my friends are?" Arthur practically shouted, taking a couple of steps towards the creature, who fluttered back a couple of paces, almost vanishing into the bush. Immediately, Arthur stopped, he didn't want the creature to disappear again, not when it was providing him with the clues he was so desperately looking for.

"Mistress has your friends, friends in bad place."

"Where? Where is this bad place? Tell me!" His voice suddenly slipping from just Arthur into the prince, Arthur again stepped forward, feeling in control once more. He was no longer the lost young man stumbling aimlessly through the forest, he was a Knight, Crown Prince of Camelot whose duty was to protect those under his command. _All_ of them. The creature, however, suddenly looked fearful, but Arthur knew it was not because of his advances. Trying to change tack, the prince spoke again.

"What's your name?"

"Pulchra."

"Pulchra?" Arthur repeated, trying to roll his tongue around the unusual sound. When he spared the creature another glance, he couldn't help but think it looked apprehensive.

"Pulchra, I need you to tell me where this bad place is."

"Can't. Dangerous. Mistress hurts Pulchra, bad place."

"I can protect you. Pulchra, you said it yourself, my friends are in there, they are in trouble. I have to help them, but I can't do it without you."

"Bad place, Pulchra no go back there."

"Please, Pulchra. It is not just my Knights that are in trouble, but my servant too. Merlin wouldn't stand a chance. You have to help me."

"Emrys in bad place?" Pulchra suddenly squeaked, looking terrified. Arthur, however, blinked at the small creature, not having a clue who he was talking about. He had mentioned the Knights and Merlin, but who was this Emrys supposed to be?

Watching Pulchra out of the corner of his eye, Arthur suddenly realised how worried the creature looked. He was biting his bottom lip, exactly the same way Merlin did when he was worried about something. With that realisation, Arthur decided to play it along, despite not having a clue who the creature was talking about.

"Yes, he is. I need your help to get him out."

"Emrys not need help. Emrys strong."

"But so is your mistress, Emrys might not be strong enough," Arthur invented wildly, hoping his lies weren't going to come back and make him pay. Especially as he had a horrible feeling he was talking about something magic, to a magical creature nevertheless. This couldn't end well, but if it meant being lead to his Knights and servant, Arthur would be prepared to pay the price when it was due.

"Pulchra can't, Pulchra can't." The little creature was looking distressed now, all signs of its earlier cockiness having vanished as it slowly rocked itself back and forth midair. Arthur, however, found his sympathy was more than lacking. Pulchra's earlier comments about the Knights being in a bad place had only fuelled the man's need to find them again.

"Pulchra can," the prince stated firmly, his tone one he was not used to people disobeying. Apart from Merlin, that was. The servant didn't seem to realise when it was best to obey his master for once, something which often led to many a disagreement between the pair of them. Luckily, it seemed that whilst some of his characteristics might resemble the wayward manservant, Pulchra knew a commanding tone when he heard it. Pausing mid air, he fixed Arthur with a look that made the prince inwardly wince, although his face was carefully carved into a picture of authority. It was a look he had mastered many times over the years after being told that he had let his father down again.

"Prince promise Pulchra safe?" the little creature finally muttered, his voice sounding defeated. Trying not to whoop in delight, Arthur instead opted for nodding solemnly.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you."

"Then Pulchra will take you." And so saying, Pulchra whizzed around the bush one more time before setting a slow, but steady path for Arthur to follow. Much as he hated to admit it, now he was following the thing that had been warning him for so long, Arthur didn't stumble nearly as many times. His mind wondering as he picked his way through a particularly dense patch, a sudden thought suddenly struck him.

"How did you know I was a prince, Pulchra?"

MMMMMMMM

Merlin hung panting from the ceiling, his head slumped forward, his chest heaving as he tried to force the oxygen back into his lungs. He didn't know how long he had been here for, how long Morgause had "questioned" him about why he was risking everything for Camelot. A small part of his rational brain knew it can't have been for more than a few hours at the most, yet part of him felt like it was a lifetime. All he knew was that she couldn't find out about his magic, for she would not only destroy him for that piece of information, but the prince as well. At least by holding his tongue it would only be his life that would be forfeited. Unfortunately, the witch hadn't taken his silence too well and when Merlin refused to give her the answers she wanted, she had given up on her magical forms of persuasion and instead opted for something a lot more traditional. She had set the men on him.

"You look tired, Merlin."

"Please, just go away," the servant rasped in response, not even having the energy to lift his head to face Morgause. Not that he wanted to face her, it just reminded him of how helpless his situation was. He could use magic to escape, but he knew he would never be able to get the Knights out as well and Morgause was more than a match for him, especially given his weakened state. And then there was the matter of the prince. Merlin knew without a doubt Arthur would be coming for him, for all of them, and yet if he used magic, how long would it take for Morgause to use that knowledge to destroy the prince? At least by acting the submissive servant, much as it was against the very fabric of his nature, Merlin knew he had a much better chance of survival. And if Morgause would just go away, he would be able to work a few more spells that would take away the pain and make the whole thing a lot more bearable.

"Do you want to sleep?"

"Go to hell-ow!" The last part ending in a whimper that immediately brought tears to his eyes as another stinging shock was added onto his already abused body, Merlin squeezed them shut, trying to stop the tears escaping. He had given up many hours ago trying to hide the fact he was afraid. Now he was just trying to stay alive.

"There will be no sleep for you for that remark, servant. Every time you close your eyes, one of my trusty men will be here to remind you what happens when you defy me."

"You'll never break me," Merlin suddenly spat, a small spark of defiance leaping into his watery eyes that despite Morgause's quick reaction, she couldn't remove. Merlin knew what she was after, she wanted him broken and ready to serve her. And if he had lasted this long with hiding his magic, Merlin knew it would never happen. He couldn't say how he knew, it was as if his magic was protecting him, shielding part of his mind from the sorceress in front of him and keeping him sane. And it was that knowledge he knew would help him stop Morgause, it gave him the flicker of hope he needed.

"Maybe, maybe not," Morgause responded coolly, casually running her finger across Merlin's chin in a motion that could almost be considered by some as a caress if it wasn't for the hatred burning in her eyes. "Either way, I tire of these games. If you won't be broken, then I'll just have to break the prince. I'm sure you don't want that happening, do you, Merlin?"

"You'll never break Arthur, no one can."

"Oh but I can, servant. For you see, all he has to do is see you in this state, whether you are compliant with my wishes or not, and the prince will practically be begging me to stop, that he would do anything. And whilst Arthur is at my mercy, Camelot is weak."

"Well there is your problem then, isn't it?" Merlin mocked, a smirk momentarily making its weary way onto his face, although he didn't have the energy to keep it there. Despite her intention to look as if every word that was coming out of her prisoner's mouth was rubbish, Merlin saw the flicker of curiosity in Morgause's eyes. She was after success, and for him to point out a flaw in her plan only heightened her interest.

"Arthur will never see me like this, he'll never find us. I'll admit it, Morgause, you have a good hide out. Arthur's good, but even he isn't that good."

"How do you know, you don't know where you are."

"I don't have to know. You have the Knights here, this place has to be reinforced if you think you could contain them. Or have you not met the Knights of Camelot? Stubborn men, the whole lot of them, Arthur taught them well in that aspect. So you can say goodbye to your plan, for it isn't going to work." His head held high, Merlin glared into his enemy's eyes, trying not to show how his neck muscles were aching from the very action.

"That is a very good theory, Merlin," Morgause began, her voice dripping with sarcasm and making Merlin inwardly wince, although he was determined not to show the witch how that very tone made his skin crawl. Unlike Arthur's light hearted teasing, Morgause's sarcasm simply oozed evilness, there was no fondness behind the words whatsoever.

"Except for one thing."

"Oh yeah, what is that?" Merlin snarled, knowing by the look on her face it didn't come out nearly as impressively as he hoped. He had been aiming for something that would make her doubt herself and her supposedly flawless plan, but instead it had come out as more of a whimper.

For a long moment, Morgause simply walked in a slow circle around Merlin, drawing out the suspense. She had been waiting for this bit for a very long time, it had taken a lot of effort on her behalf and had meant she had been forced to watch both the prince and the servant hanging in front of her saved from fates she had very much wished upon them both. But if it meant gaining Arthur's trust, it would definitely be a small inconvenience in the larger game. Coming to a stop, Morgause raised a slender eyebrow as she ran her eyes over the battered body in front of her almost approvingly. If she wasn't so determined to finish the servant off, he would have been useful to her.

"Why Merlin, don't you know?"

"Stop playing games, Morgause, what have you done to Arthur? Tell me! What have you done to him?" The shout went echoing around the room, and Morgause merely let it, waiting until the very last echo had disappeared before delivering the line that made Merlin feel like the bottom had just dropped out of his stomach and his heart had hit the floor below.

"He is being led straight here as we speak."


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow, you guys have no idea how close you came to not getting this today - broken computer, presentation to do and then a three hour train journey to head home for the weekend, but ... i somehow managed it and it is still friday, although not for a lot longer, it must be said!**

**The deepest and most heartfelt thanks to MerlinStar for volunteering to beta this for me, so hopefully the typos and errors shouldn't be as numerous. Obviously, anything that is left is completely down to me getting too carried away. I truly cannot thank you enough for all of your amazing help with this, i owe you big time!**

**So without further ado... enjoy!**

"Pulchra, are we nearly there yet?" Arthur called irritably, using his sword to free himself from the bush he was currently entangled in. The only thing the prince was thankful about was that Merlin was not around to see it, he would have never heard the end of it. The small creature darting anxiously ahead of him didn't respond, only pausing for the slightest of seconds to glance over its shoulder at the prince. If Arthur wasn't so convinced that this small thing had saved his life on more than one occasion, he wouldn't have trusted it in the slightest.

"Pulchra! Listen to me, are we nearly there?" The angry tone in Arthur's voice finally got the little thing to turn around properly, flitting backwards and forwards between Arthur and the next biggest tree, almost as if he was too afraid to stay still for more than a second at a time.

"Long way to go now, Master, long way to free Emrys." Arthur was no longer sure when Pulchra had begun to call him 'master', but when he refused to listen to the prince's pleas that he didn't, Arthur had just accepted it. He didn't have the time nor the energy to waste arguing over something as trivial as that, and if he was honest, Arthur was worried that Pulchra might suddenly disappear. He no longer had any idea where he was; the path they had taken had been a twisting and winding one, more often than not stumbling through the undergrowth rather than it actually taking on any recognisable route.

"How far is a long way?" Arthur muttered to himself as he once more stumbled forward, his feet throbbing. It wasn't just his feet that was the problem though, his shoulders were screaming at him to put one of the packs down, his injured arm had developed a low pulse of its own, reminding him forcibly that before long, he would have to change the bandage, whether anyone was there to help him or not and his head was beginning to ache through lack of sleep. His guide, being clearly not human, didn't seem to understand human necessities such as eating and sleeping either, but Arthur knew that by the end of the day, no matter what, he would have to stop. Pulchra kept talking about this upcoming danger, and the way the prince was feeling at the moment, he would take one look and start snoring, there was no way he was in any state to fight. If he made it that far...

Suddenly drawn out of his musings as his foot caught on an exposed root, the prince was sent plummeting to the ground in the same manner he more often than not was teasing his servant about. This time, however, no light hearted remark was made as Arthur fell, no helping hand came to aid him to his feet. He just had Pulchra, hovering uncertainly around him. Pulling the fallen pack towards him, Arthur then unfolded his feet from under his body, stretching his legs out in front of him and removing his boots as he shuffled over so that he was propped against the tree.

"Can't stop, long way to go. Must move."

"Pulchra, if you want me to save your bloody Emrys, I must rest. I can't keep going like this." Arthur snarled, his mind too tired to be civil. He had had enough. He was supposed to be the Crown Prince of Camelot, everyone was supposed to be doing as he said - Merlin sorting out the fire, the Knights arguing over who was going to take which watch whilst he rested. He wasn't supposed to be in the middle of a forest with a magical creature that instinct was screaming at him to kill with no idea where his friends were, even if they were still alive. If it wasn't for Pulchra's insistence that they were indeed getting closer and that Arthur was going to save everyone, the prince couldn't help but wonder whether or not he would have just given up and returned to Camelot, faced with the prospect of breaking the bad news, but meaning he wouldn't have to stumble on alone. He had always thought he was alright on his own, never having known any true friends until Merlin came along. But now, faced with a walk to who knows where to face who knows what that the only definition for was "bad," Arthur had never felt so alone.

"Can't rest long," Pulchra muttered, surprising the prince by the sullenness in his voice as he floated over, coming to a stop on a branch above Arthur's head. Ignoring him, the prince leant his head back against the bark, shutting his eyes and breathing out deeply through his nose. For a blissful moment, silence fell over the forest, all thoughts being driven from Arthur's mind as he allowed the tensions to wash away and have a moment of respite. Until…

"Wants to rest, so he does. We must keep going, long way to go, long, long way…"

"Pulchra?" Arthur called up, not opening his eyes.

"Master calls me…."

"Pulchra, shut up."

"Master?"

"I'm not your master, Pulchra! After this is over, you'd better disappear quickly or it won't just be your mistress you have to fear. I need you to lead me to my friends, nothing more, so can you please, just for a moment, shut the hell up about distances and having to save your precious Emrys!" His chest rising and falling with suppressed emotion, Arthur snapped his eyes open, jumping to his feet and pulling on his boots.

"We can move again?"

"Stay there," the prince ordered tensely, leaving the packs where they were and striding off into the forest. He didn't go far; he needed to know where his mysterious guide was, even if the thought he was having to rely on Pulchra to find his way either forwards or backwards was making him even angrier. He had never been dependant on anyone in this manner before, it was infuriating. But right now, he needed just a moment to calm down before he knew he would do something he regretted. The thought of Merlin and the Knights filled his mind, causing him to suck in the air sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He had to keep his temper, had to keep Pulchra on his side for the strange little creature was his only clue to finding them again. Breathing out again, Arthur squared his shoulders and lifted his head, firmly back in the role of prince.

Striding back into the clearing which they had paused in, it took Arthur a moment to locate Pulchra, for the small being was lurking (somewhat suspiciously, in Arthur's mind) around the packs, diving in and out of the tops, almost like a game, but with the added sense of purpose. Freezing, Arthur stopped behind a tree, wanting to see what Pulchra was after. It was as if he was searching for something, and the fact that he had waited until Arthur had disappeared simply made the prince more curious as to what he wanted. After a few more searches, Arthur was about to give up, when Pulchra suddenly emerged from one of the packs, buzzing around gleefully.

Almost jogging quickly into the clearing, Arthur stood over the bags, his hands on his hips as he watched the buzzing creature. The flight was too fast though, Arthur couldn't work out what on earth Pulchra had grasped in his tiny hands and his eyes simply weren't awake enough to be able to focus at that speed. Knowing Pulchra had yet to notice his return, Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"Come here, Pulchra." He commanded, adamant that if the creature was going to refer to him as his master the whole time, then he would use that knowledge to his advantage if it meant finding out what was going on. Despite not wanting to feel like he was abusing the trust and power his small guide had unknowingly bestowed on him, Arthur knew the only way he would be able to get a straight answer out of Pulchra was to pull rank on him. And it worked. Quick as lightning, Pulchra dropped so that he was hovering just below Arthur's eye level, swaying backwards and forwards slightly in the air as if he was nervous, but remaining as still as he could manage.

"What do you think you were doing?"

"Pulchra doing nothing, master. Pulchra stays here like he was told."

"So what did you get out of the packs?" Raising an eyebrow in a way that showed he demanded an answer, Arthur stared at the thing in front of him, not sure if his usual method of getting answers out of people was going to work with Pulchra. He only had to give his Knights this look and they always cringed, knowing that they had been caught out. Merlin, annoyingly, seemed not to notice, but even he nowadays had the decency to look slightly sheepish when Arthur subjected him to this particular expression. To his utmost relief, Pulchra seemed to realise what it meant.

"I… master… I…."

"Pulchra." Arthur began warningly, his hand subtly drifting to the hilt of his sword. The action, however, was not missed by the thing hovering in front of him, something Arthur had been intending all along.

"I didn't mean to, master, I just wanted something to keep!" And with those words, the distraught thing pulled something out behind his back that made Arthur narrow his eyes in anger as he snatched it back violently, making the creature float backwards a few paces out of harm's way.

"That's Merlin's." He retorted angrily, stuffing the neckerchief back into the top of the pack and flicking the flap back over. His servant wouldn't forgive him ever if he let something happen to one of his precious garments.

"You touch nothing from the packs, do you understand me? If you need something, you ask me. But you do not, _ever_, unless I directly tell you, touch those bags. Is that clear, Pulchra?"

"Yes Master," came the small reply, the creature dropping in height and sinking slowly to the ground. Hovering just about the floor, Pulchra dropped his head, looking for the entire world like he was ashamed of what he had done.

"Come on then," Arthur responded more kindly, feeling incredibly guilty for making Pulchra that upset. With any luck though, he had shown exactly who was in charge. "We need to be going. You can ride on my shoulder if you are tired."

Immediately, Pulchra shot up from the ground, whizzed around Arthur's head a couple of times before settling excitably on the prince's shoulder, nattering nonsense in his ear the whole time. If he was honest, Arthur found that he didn't mind. He had grown somewhat accustomed to the nattering over the last few hours, it helped ease the feeling of being on his own. And in some strange way, the constant chattering in his ear reminded him of his missing servant, making him all that more determined to find the boy.

Setting off into the forest with a slight smile on his face, Arthur followed Pulchra's directions as quickly as he could, his aches and tiredness no longer seeming important. It was as if something had changed, something making the prince feel like he was getting closer and closer to finding the missing members of his party. And if he could do that, he could return home, all thoughts about finding Morgana driven from his mind for the time being.

What the prince couldn't see, however, was the sly grin make its way onto Pulchra's face as he rode on Arthur's shoulder. Indeed, the young man was getting closer and closer to finding his friends, but little did Arthur know that was precisely what the intention all along had been. Pulchra knew he had played his part well, not only was he guiding the prince, he was also gaining his trust, allowing the creature to begin his work properly. His mistress was going to be more than pleased with him when Arthur arrived full of confidence, it made breaking him so much easier. Oh yes, Pulchra had indeed done well.

MMMMMMM

"What do you think she is doing to him?" Tristam whispered, his legs crossed in front of him as he leant back against the bars, eyes closed. Leon merely shook his head, he didn't know, and quite frankly, even if he did, wasn't sure he would share the information with the rest of his Knights when he was supposed to be protecting them.

"I'm sure he is going to be fine," Owain commented from where he was leaning casually against the side of the cell, trying not to give anything away. He knew that it probably wouldn't be long before Merlin was free, he was obviously just waiting for the right moment to cast some sort of spell that would mean they could all get out of here and his scream from earlier had just been for show. From what little Owain had managed to understand about the secret warlock travelling with them, he knew that the young servant was powerful, more powerful than all of the Knights put together if he chose to be. There was no way he was going to allow Arthur to come walking into a trap if he could help it. For now, the Knight was sure that was what this was. Why else would Morgause be so adamant in having Merlin in her grasp, as well as the Knights themselves, if it wasn't to lure Arthur in? Everyone knew that whilst the Knights were his comrades, men with whom he shared a mutual respect, Merlin was his friend, even if both of them would deny it vehemently if asked.

"You think? The boy is a servant. We've lasted this long because we are trained, how do you honestly expect Merlin to survive?"

"Percival…" Leon began, a warning in his tone as he glared at the other man. He knew the situation was desperate, there could be no denying it even if he wanted to, but the defeatist tone in Percival's voice irritated Leon; he was trying to remain optimistic. Despite his constant reassurances that everything was somehow going to work out alright, he knew it would only take one comment like that and all of his efforts would fall apart.

"Oh don't try and deny it, Leon, you are always looking out for the boy. He is just a servant, and he only gained that much worth by accident."

"Because he saved the prince's life," Leon snapped back, beginning to get angry. Climbing to his feet, he glared across the cell at Percival, his fist tensing behind his back as the man did the same thing and mirrored his position.

"Not that he meant to, you can see it in his eyes. He is a weak servant who happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Hang on," Owain suddenly butted in, straightening his position and also glaring at Percival. The man had no idea how much Merlin had done for the prince, for all of them.

"Don't defend him, Owain, you know I'm speaking the truth."

With a sudden leap forward, Leon caught Owain around the middle as he rushed at Percival, only then to receive the swinging punch the latter had been aiming at the former instead, causing him to spin around and deliver one of his own. The rest of the men had fallen silent, too shocked by the sudden outbreak to know how to react. As Owain threw himself again at Percival, the three men shared a smirk as the door to the cell swung open and the guards rushed in.

Within seconds, Tristam and Gawain had knocked two of them out, the other three being grabbed by Leon, Owain and Percival alike and pulled further into the cage. In a matter of moments, the positions were reversed, the Knights standing on the outside, Leon carefully locking the door behind him as the conscious guards began hammering on the door.

"Should have gagged them," Gawain commented lightly, watching with amusement as one of them frantically stuck an arm through the bars and tried to reach for the man.

"Why? Let them draw her down here." Leon responded coolly, pocketing the keys and heading towards the main door. Carefully poking his head out, the chief knight made sure the coast was clear before beckoning to his team, smiling proudly as they all snuck forward silently, showing that nothing could stop a Knight of Camelot.

"Sorry about the low blows about Merlin," Percival whispered as he crept past Leon. "Had to make it convincing."

His smile widening, Leon checked that all of the men were out before tiptoeing forward himself, shutting the door behind him, although making sure it wasn't properly closed. With any luck, the guards' furious cries would bring Morgause herself down to the dungeon, meaning the Knights would be free to go in and get Merlin. For as much as Percival's words were meant just as bait, he did have a point. Merlin was no more than a servant, he wouldn't be able to take whatever it was Morgause had planned for him. Despite knowing the risks, there was no way Leon was going to leave without the clumsy black haired boy with them.

MMMM

"Why, Merlin?"

"I told you, Arthur will make a good king."

"But there is more than that."

"No! Please, stop! Please!" The last cry ending in a stifled sob, Merlin let himself hang, knowing that he couldn't do anything to resist the sorceress in front of him without it leading to greater trouble. Every fibre of his being was setting his magic alive, causing it to rush to his defence, to blast Morgause across the room with just a mere flash of his eyes, to let her know precisely why she would never break him. But he was also fighting against that feeling with everything he had, and he knew that was why he was feeling so weak, so vulnerable. He had denied who he was once more, and was now paying the price for it. His eyes shut, his breathing shallow, Merlin didn't see Morgause's smug smile as she continued to circle him. The witch couldn't care less about why the lowly servant was risking so much to save Camelot, she had him precisely where she wanted him.

"Why should I stop, Merlin? You defeated me, I'll admit it. But I don't go down without a fight. You may have stopped me then, but there is no stopping me now."

"Please, why are you doing this?"

"Quiet," Morgause suddenly snapped, coming to a stop in front of her prisoner. She thought she had heard something beyond Merlin's pleads: something wasn't quite feeling right. Shutting her eyes to allow herself better access to her magic, Morgause centred herself, letting all other thoughts fade and making sure she focused just on what she was sensing. It wasn't to last, however, as quiet was the very thing Merlin did not know how to be, something anyone who knew him could vouch for.

"You don't have to do this, you don't have to use magic in this way…"

"I said quiet."

"There are other ways, just let me go."

"_Confuto!_" With a sudden gasp, Merlin winced as the gag formed out of nowhere, wrapping itself around his head and rendering him speechless.

"That's better." And so saying, Morgause strode from the room, leaving Merlin staring after her in desperation. He needed his voice in order to work the magic, his strength had waned too much to be able to form the spell he needed without words, the consequences could be deadly if that happened. So without meaning to, Morgause had unknowingly just denied her prisoner the chance he had been waiting for.

Fighting against the gag, Merlin let his head sag forward once more, a few tears spilling from his eyes as he realised the situation was becoming more and more hopeless by the second. Hearing the door open, he didn't bother lifting his head as heavy footfalls crossed the room, didn't want to give whoever it was the satisfaction of knowing how defeated he was feeling. With a sudden jolt, Merlin felt his shoulders jerk as the chain binding him began to move, eventually allowing his feet to connect with the floor. The second the weight was off his wrists and onto his feet, however, Merlin found himself pitching forward, feeling everything they had done to him. To his surprise, it wasn't the cold, hard ground that rushed up to meet him, but a strong arm catching him mid-fall, gently lowering him to the ground.

"Easy, we've got you." Finally looking up, Merlin's eyes widened to see it was Owain holding him up, Leon standing just in front of him. Gentle hands quickly made short work of the gag, causing the warlock to let out an explosive breath. Jumping as the coldness of a blade was pressed against his arm, Merlin winced, but Leon merely shot him an apologetic look.

"This may hurt." And with no more warning than that, he wedged the blade between Merlin's wrist and the cuff, bracing the limb as best as he could manage. With a powerful flick of his wrist, Leon caused the cuff to spring open, allowing Merlin to rotate his wrist stiffly, uttering a soft groan as he did so.

"She's coming back," a voice suddenly hissed, causing Merlin to take in better note of his surroundings. Tristam was standing by the door, obviously keeping look out, whilst Percival and Gawain were hovering nearby, clearly at a bit of a loss of what they were supposed to be doing. Helping Merlin to his feet, the Knights shared concerned looks as the servant's legs once more refused to support his weight, the warlock swaying slightly on the spot.

"We'll never get him out like this," Percival muttered quietly, his eyes flickering in concern.

"We can't just leave him, she'll kill him."

"I'm not saying leave him, only that we'll have to find another way."

"Enough," Tristam suddenly hissed, making both Leon and Percival blink in surprise at the commanding tone coming from the young knight. "If any of us want to get out of this alive, we need to move, _now_, she is almost here."

"Tristam is right," Leon muttered, watching Merlin's pale face worriedly, not knowing whether he should force the boy to open his eyes or not. "Right, Owain, Percival, Tristam, scout ahead, I want to know the way is clear. Gawain, take up behind, only stay on my heels, I'm leaving no one."

"Sire," the men acknowledged, immediately jumping to do as they were told. With another quick flick of his wrist, Leon freed Merlin completely, before swinging him up over his shoulders. The semi-conscious boy moaned weakly as the movement jarred his aching body, but then fell still again as Leon set off at a run, going as fast as he dared, dropping the stolen blade behind him. The thing had a feeling of evil about it, and no matter what their situation, Leon didn't want it in his hand.

The place they were in seemed amazingly deserted as the Knights sprinted through, their feet making no sound. They were trained for this, they could get in or out of anywhere without anyone ever knowing they were there if they so desired. However, as he shifted Merlin's dead weight further onto his shoulders, Leon couldn't help but frown. It was just _too_ quiet.

No sooner had the thought had registered in his mind, Gawain let out a small cry as he pitched forward, bringing Leon and Merlin down with him, causing the latter to stir. At the same time, Percival fell in front of them, Owain grabbing Tristam in just enough time to stop him falling into the same trap. He couldn't see what was there, but it was clear Percival had hit something magical, something that was preventing him from going any further.

Jumping to his feet, Leon stared around, bracing himself. He would do anything to have a sword in his hand right now, but he knew that weapon aside, he had to protect them. He didn't have to wait long to find out what from though: Morgause soon walked coolly onto the scene, her eyes flickering in annoyance as she scanned the men. On catching sight of Merlin, her eyes narrowed even further, making Leon also glance towards the boy in surprise. It was pure loathing.

The thumping of feet quickly drew his attention as her men arrived, surrounding the knights. Catching Gawain's eye, Leon nodded, a signal he knew the other knight would pass onto the rest of the group without anyone noticing. Counting under his breath, Leon had just reached ten as the rest of the Knights all sprang to their feet at the same time as him, charging into their captors as one joint force. Within mere seconds, eight men had fallen, the Knights grabbing their now unused weapons and doing what they did best.

Fighting off three men at once, Owain eventually managed to spare a glance over his shoulder towards where Merlin had been lying. The warlock had pushed himself into an upright position, his face pale yet his eyes were burning bright. With a sudden realisation, Owain noticed they were burning too bright, bright enough that they had begun to change colour. With a fierce grin, he swung wildly at the man in front of him, bringing him down with a cry as the man who had been attempting to sneak up behind suddenly let go of his sword with a howl, clutching his hand to him.

Quickly removing the threat, Owain once more caught Merlin's eye, who in returned grinned, winking at the same time. Removing a few more of the enemy's weapons, Merlin drew himself to his feet, eyes darting frantically around the battling men in order to work out who he could help without giving anything away. He wasn't sure what the reaction would be from the Knights, but Merlin couldn't help but want to keep it secret for a bit longer, at least until he was beyond Morgause's power. With a couple more disarmed, the odds were turning in the knights' favour, and seeing a sudden opening, Leon pressed forward his advantage, breaking through the circle surrounding them.

It only took a barked order and all of the men ran for the gap, Owain pausing long enough to grab Merlin by the arm and drive him forward. Running flat out, they had not made it very far when Merlin suddenly stumbled, his weakened state meaning he couldn't keep the pace up. The men skidded to a halt, glancing around them anxiously as the warlock tried to regain his balance.

"Go, I'm fine," he eventually managed to pant, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Morgause would once more catch up with them. The men glanced anxiously at each other, clearly conflicted between their own instinct to survive and helping getting the servant to safety. Eventually, Leon came to a decision.

"Go ahead, make sure the road is clear. Don't wait for us, don't turn back. You have to find the prince, it is your duty to protect him." Knowing that Leon's tone meant no arguments, the remaining members of the group glanced at each other before setting off again, their running footsteps quickly fading away to nothing. Grabbing one of Merlin's arms, Leon draped it around his shoulders, trying to take as much of the warlock's weight as he could manage given their strange position. At a much slower pace, they too made their way out towards where the others had disappeared, hoping it would provide them with the freedom they were after.

"Arthur was right about you, Merlin," Leon eventually muttered, not liking how quiet the servant was, nor missing how hard it was for Merlin to breathe. If he only he knew what they had done to him, he might be able to help, but for now, all he could do was aid the servant in escaping. "You really are a magnet for trouble."

"I never used to be," Merlin croaked, making the Knight at his side glance towards him in concern again. He sounded as bad as he looked, and Leon knew without a doubt that it was taking every ounce of his strength to remain conscious. Giving his slipping arm a nudge, the knight knew that whilst it would slow them down, he needed to keep Merlin talking.

"So has it just been ever since you came to Camelot then?" Leon asked, inwardly wincing at how fake his voice sounded. He was acting as if they were going on a stroll around the training fields, not trying to escape with their lives. Merlin, however, was no longer coherent enough to realise.

"Being… Arthur…"

"Merlin, stay with me!" Leon commanded, feeling the boy he was so desperately trying to hold up slip to the ground once more. Coming to a stop, the Knight stared at the servant as unconsciousness once more claimed him. What on earth had Morgause done to him? Without pausing, Leon bent down and slung Merlin over his shoulders, setting off at a sprint in a vain attempt to try and catch up with the others.

He almost made it. He could see Percival, the man was just about to disappear into the forest when he paused and looked back. Not stopping on his mad dash to safety, Leon smiled gratefully as his friend turned and yelled something into the trees. Not only did the rest of the Knights reappear, but someone Leon was afraid he had failed. For standing in the cover of the trees, staring desperately towards them, the Crown Prince of Camelot set off at a run when he caught sight of who was pelting towards him.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one racing to intercept the pair. Pulchra shot past the prince, heading directly towards Merlin. And this time, it was no longer Arthur he was serving.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you once again to all of you who have been following this and sticking with me, it means a lot!**

**Another thank you to MerlinStar for beta-ing, i owe you so much, hun! **

Leon didn't notice the small creature that was whizzing towards him at an astonishing speed; he was too busy trying not to drop the unconscious boy draped across his back as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him towards the frantic Arthur. The prince appeared to be yelling something, and whilst Leon knew enough to know that it wasn't addressed at him, he couldn't make out what was being said, the blood was pounding too hard in his ears as he focused on getting Merlin – not to mention himself – to the safety of the trees.

"Pulchra, come back! It's dangerous! Pulchra!" Yelling as loudly as he could towards the vanishing blue blur, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go very wrong. This in itself was mysterious, for things had not looked this positive for a long while. The Knights were back with him, the last almost there, and Merlin was there as well. So why on earth did Arthur feel like he was losing control of the situation even more than before?

"My Lord, who is this Pulchra?" Percival asked quietly, also having not noticed the small creature. Pulchra had shot off at such a speed when Leon came into view, Arthur realised he was the only one who had seen him because he had grown accustomed to locating the small thing even when it was travelling at amazing speeds. He hadn't had a choice but to adapt, for he knew that if he had lost sight of Pulchra when they were in the forest, he would have been hopelessly lost himself.

"My guide," the prince muttered quietly, not quite sure how to explain to the men exactly what Pulchra was, especially as they had yet to see him. "Why would he want to go towards there though – he was scared."

"My Lord?" Shaking his head distractedly at Gawain's question, Arthur instead stared out across the grass, his eyes locked on the fast approaching Leon. He could tell even from this distance that the man was relieved to see him and to once more be able to come to Arthur's protection, it was something he had done for as long as either of them could remember. However, he had almost reached them when suddenly Leon went crashing to the ground, causing all of the Knights to yell out in shock and surprise. Sparing a glance at each other, the men then looked to their prince, only to see him already racing towards Leon. Still unable to shake the feeling that something was happening, Arthur was not going to lose them again.

"Leon! Merlin! Answer me!"

"Sire…" The weak groan made Arthur pick his pace up to levels he didn't think were actually physically possible as he watched Leon try to raise himself, only to slump back to the ground again, his strength having completely disappeared. What was perhaps more worrying was that as soon as Leon had fallen, Arthur had lost sight of his servant.

Dropping to his knees as he reached Leon, Arthur ran his eyes over the man anxiously. There was no other word for it, the knight looked awful. His face was pale, a sheen of sweat breaking out over his forehead as he tried to acknowledge the arrival of his prince.

"Shh, don't move," Arthur ordered softly, glancing about him for any sign of his servant. "What happened?"

"Magic… creature… Merlin…" Unable to form a coherent sentence, Leon locked eyes with Arthur desperately one more time before his head hit the ground. Staring at the unconscious man in front of him, Arthur flexed his fist, feeling the anger growing inside him. He had trusted Pulchra, relied on the creature to lead him to his men and help him free them. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had enjoyed having his company, the creature's peculiar chatter and actions had been a welcome source of amusement during the long trek through the forest. And all along, he had been taken for a fool.

The thumping of feet announced the arrival of the other men as Arthur slowly drew himself to his full height, looking every part the royal prince that he was, authority and power simply screaming from him as he stared unseeingly down the hill.

"Sire?" Gawain asked gently, knowing by Arthur's posture that he would be prone to a sudden outburst at any minute if provoked. They had all seen him like this before; the passionate young man was easily fired up. Luckily, it tended to be during occasions of injustice, meaning that no one really minded his temper, but still, they had all learned not to cross him when he was in that mood.

"Take Leon back to Camelot." Arthur ordered, his voice cold and lacking in emotion. Whilst it may have appeared cold hearted, his men knew better. Arthur had a way of covering his emotions when they were getting the better of him, but to those who knew him, it simply showed how emotional he was.

"What about you, Sire?" Owain muttered, his own eyes flickering across the surrounding area for any sight of Merlin. Suddenly, a movement caught his eye and the Knight turned, only to gape in astonishment at the scene unfolding in front of him.

He had found Merlin, that was for sure, but not the servant. Instead, he was now watching the powerful warlock as Merlin battled furiously against something Owain could not make out. He could tell by the way the young man was stumbling that he was losing though. Whatever he was fighting was fast. Glancing back towards Arthur, Owain bit his lip, not knowing what to do. The prince had yet to notice his servant, his eyes still fixed on Leon, but Owain couldn't help but feel extremely torn. If he told Arthur where Merlin was, all would be revealed, and especially giving the mood the prince was in, Owain was not sure that would be such a good idea. And yet at the same time, Merlin was clearly losing, he was too weak to keep up that level of magic for much longer. Watching Merlin drop to his knees in order to avoid the pulsing light that was shot over his head, Owain made up his mind. If Arthur was this worried about his servant, despite knowing what his father would say, then surely he would be able to forgive the fact he had magic when Merlin was fighting for his life.

"Sire…"

"I see him!" Tristam suddenly yelled, causing Owain to jump violently, cursing under his breath. This certainly wasn't going to make things easier.

"Where?" Arthur yelled back, his voice, if possible even louder, cracking slightly in a way that betrayed how he was feeling. Glancing over his shoulder at Tristam, Owain felt his heart sink. The young Knight was looking precisely at the point where he knew Merlin was, yet to his surprise, didn't look the slightest bit surprised by what he was seeing. Just as Owain himself turned back around, Arthur followed the pointed finger with his eyes.

"Pulchra!" He suddenly thundered, making all the Knights look towards him in surprise. Never before had they heard that amount of hatred pounding out from Arthur's voice. Sparing his liege a glance, Owain blinked to see Arthur was already half way down the hill. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to look to see how much trouble Merlin was going to be in with his master, only to raise his eyebrows at the way the battle had turned.

No more was Merlin fighting with magic, instead he was struggling physically against the men holding him; men, Owain knew, hadn't been there a second ago. By squinting his eyes, Owain thought he could just about make out a small blue light pulsing in front of the squirming servant, and it was for that light Arthur was making directly for.

Merlin himself didn't know where the men had come from. One moment he had been trying to neutralise the threat from the small, yet strange looking creature in front of him, wondering how on earth he was half way down a hill for the last thing he remembered was running down a corridor with Leon, who was no longer in sight. The next, his arms had been grabbed from behind, and in his surprise, Merlin had forgotten to use magic, instead trying to wrench the limbs free. Hearing a thunderous shout, he had glanced up to see the prince charging down the hill towards him, and in that moment, Merlin had never been less thankful to see Arthur. If only he had stayed away for a few more moments, the warlock knew he would have been able to defeat the men with just a mere flash of his eyes, but now, with the furious man charging towards him, sword at the ready, Merlin knew he would have to go back to being the helpless servant, just waiting for Arthur to come and rescue him. It was annoying.

Watching Arthur approach them, Merlin knew within a very short space of time that it was not the men the prince was heading for, but the pulsing light in front of him. It was too bright for him to make out what was being shielded within, but it was typical Arthur to ignore all else and go towards the magical threat.

"Arthur, don't!" Merlin suddenly screamed, knowing that if he didn't stand a chance against the creature with some of the most powerful magic known – or in Arthur's case, not known – then the prince had no hope at all.

"Don't worry, Merlin!" Arthur yelled back, a small smile flickering over his face momentarily when he saw that his servant was awake and struggling. There was no way Merlin was about to make this easy for his captors, and sure enough, as Arthur continued in his mad dash down the hill, the servant had taken to kicking the men on the shins.

Skidding to a stop in front of Merlin, Arthur turned his back on his servant, instead facing Pulchra. As if recognising his presence, Pulchra allowed his light to fade a little, revealing the creature within and making Merlin let out a small gasp of surprise. Arthur, however merely narrowed his eyes.

"I trusted you." he snarled, the hand he had gripped around his sword shaking slightly as he tried to control himself. He had a feeling that charging at Pulchra would aid him in no way at all.

"Mistress promised Pulchra a reward. Pulchra was to be free."

"You already were free!" Arthur cried, frustration pouring forth at the obvious betrayal. He should have known better than to trust something magical. "I promised I would protect you and help you find your precious Emrys if you helped me." Ignoring Merlin's obvious stiffening behind him, Arthur looked pleadingly towards what had been his guide.

"You were supposed to help me get them all back." he whispered quietly, noting that his voice sounded suspiciously close to pleading. Pulchra glanced down at the floor, almost as if he was considering the prince's words, but before he could say anything, Merlin let out a yell.

Spinning back around, Arthur cursed himself for getting distracted by Pulchra. For in the time he had been trying to make the creature change sides again, the men had begun to drag Merlin away with a speed that wasn't entirely natural.

"Arthur!"

"Merlin! No! Merlin, hold on, I'm coming!"

Sprinting across the ground, a small part of Arthur's brain knew he would never be able to catch up with them; the men were moving far too quickly for magic to not be involved, Merlin struggling helplessly in between them. Just as the gap between the two of them was finally beginning to close, the men suddenly disappeared into what looked like a solid rock face, taking Merlin with them.

Skidding to a halt, Arthur paced frantically in front of the rock face, desperately trying to find the entrance through which they had disappeared. But considering the speed they had managed to take Merlin with, Arthur knew he would never gain entrance. He was lacking the one thing they had, he was lacking magic. Suddenly, Arthur straightened his shoulders, his head lifting as a thought entered his mind. He did have magic. He had Pulchra. And he was going to be damned if he let the creature get away with aiding in the capture of his servant.

Racing back towards the hovering blur, Arthur stared harshly at Pulchra, ignoring the fact that the creature looked incredibly guilty and sad. Why should Arthur care that he looked sad? This _creature_ was responsible for the fact Merlin had once again been taken from him.

"Open the entrance," Arthur said quietly, his voice soft and dangerous. Pulchra glanced up towards the prince before shaking his head.

"Can't." he muttered in return.

"I'm not asking again," Arthur snarled, his sword already beginning to rise. As Pulchra once more shook his head, Arthur made to lunge forward, only to feel like he had hit a brick wall. Making to take a step to the side and go in at a different angle, Arthur cursed when he realised he couldn't move.

"Pulchra, let me go _now._" the prince snarled.

"Can't. Pulchra forbidden to help prince."

"You've helped me this far, haven't you?" Arthur asked, trying again to make the creature change his mind, for Pulchra was the only clue he had to getting Merlin back.

"Different. Can't help." What Pulchra had forgotten, however, was that this time, Arthur was not alone. Whilst the prince may have been trapped, his men had been far from it, sneaking up behind the creature whilst it was distracted. It had come as a surprise to hear Arthur talking to it, almost as if he knew both who and what the creature was, but they didn't let that get in the way of their training. Once more, the prince was in danger, and this time, the men were able to help.

Somehow, none of them would ever be able to say quite how they managed it, Gawain managed to catch hold of the small creature in his fist, wincing almost immediately as Pulchra fought furiously to get free. But it was not for nothing that the Knights of Camelot were known for their teamwork. Within an instant, Percival closed his fist around Gawain's, meaning Pulchra then had to fight free of two of them if he wanted to break lose. Grabbing the first thing he saw, Tristam then came charging down the hill, emptying the water skin as he ran, and as he breathlessly skidded to a stop next to his comrades, the three of them forced Pulchra into it, drawing the lid closed behind him. Due to the thinness of the skin, however, the angry blue light could still be seen glowing through as the creature within fought to be free. As soon as Pulchra had lost control of the situation, his spell over Arthur was broken, and the prince was once again sent stumbling forward as his balance was returned to him.

"Are you alright, Sire?" Gawain asked softly, watching the prince closely. They had left Owain standing guard over the motionless Leon as soon as they saw Arthur running after Merlin, but the scene they had arrived at was not one any of them had expected to ever see, let alone in a situation like this.

Ignoring the question, Arthur pushed aside the worry he was feeling for his friend and instead slotted back into being the prince. He didn't seem to notice that the only time he truly acted as his title dictated he should was when events were sent spiralling out of his control. His men, however, did, and it was a welcome thing, for it meant they knew whether they were addressing Arthur the man, or Arthur, Crown Prince of Camelot and their leader.

"You are to start taking Leon back to Camelot, I will catch up with you when I have found Merlin."

"But Sire, the King…"

"I know very well what the King will say, Percival, and I am the one who will bear the consequences of that, unless you have a desire to not follow your orders."

"Allow one of us to stay with you then, my Lord," Gawain begged, not willing to either leave the prince on his own, or face the King. As all of the men voiced their agreement, Arthur rolled his eyes. He knew precisely why they wanted to stay. It was not bravery to protect him, it was the fear of having to tell his father why they had returned to Camelot without the prince.

"Very well, Owain can stay." Arthur responded, trying not to smirk as they all glanced at each other in despair. Owain would probably feel exactly the same way as they were feeling, but considering he was standing some distance away, not at all aware of the conversation that was taking place, no one could say he had any say in it.

Without another word, Tristam handed the buzzing water skin over to the prince and the sombre group headed back up the hill, thinking of ways they could transport Leon back to Camelot with no horses and wondering how to break the news to Owain he couldn't return home. Although judging by the stony silence Arthur maintained on their walk and how tightly he was gripping the water skin, maybe facing the King would be better than staying with the prince. And there had not been many occasions in Arthur's life when that was the case.

Dropping back so that the men could talk to their friend without having to worry about guarding their tongues against the prince, Arthur glowered at the bag in his hand, raising it up to eye level so he was looking directly at the glow he knew was Pulchra. Giving it a shake, Arthur's voice was practically trembling in fury.

"I trusted you. Despite everything I have been taught, I was prepared to let you lead me to my friends, to help me save them. And instead, you help capture one of them. Was that your plan all along, to make sure that he never is free again?"

"Mistress promised." Came the sullen reply, making Arthur start in surprise. It hadn't quite dawned on him that Pulchra would still be able to hear him, but in a way, the prince was glad. The small creature deserved to hear what he had just put the man he had been calling Master through.

"And all that talk about her hurting you? That you couldn't go back there? What about this Emrys? You reacted when you heard my men had been caught, is one of them Emrys? Is that why you have allowed the Knights to go, but not Merlin? What has he ever done to you to warrant being put through that?"

His voice ending in a shout, Arthur knew immediately by the way his men stopped talking, and then all started at once that they had heard his outcry. But for the first time in a long while, Arthur found he couldn't care less that his men heard he was close to breaking. It wasn't as if this had been a walk in the park for them either. Pulchra didn't answer, and part of Arthur could almost sense the regret coming from the small thing, but he was too angry to care.

"Sire?" Tristam's voice breaking him from his dark train of thought, Arthur glanced up to see that the knights, with the exception of Owain, were ready to leave, somehow having made a makeshift stretcher in which they could transport Leon. It wasn't the most practical of things, but it would do. Shutting his eyes, Arthur nodded softly, jumping when a hand gently squeezed his shoulder.

"You'll find him, my Lord." Percival whispered softly, respect and friendship mingled in his voice. Giving his knight a grateful smile, Arthur stood side by side with Owain as they watched the rest of their comrades walk slowly off into the distance, their pace hindered somewhat by Leon. The optimistic side of the prince hoped that they would be able to catch them up before they reached Camelot, but the realistic side knew that wouldn't be the case.

"Come on, let's go," Arthur eventually muttered, turning on his heel and walking back down the path, leaving Owain to pick up the packs. Whilst the Knight didn't grumble in the slightest, he knew what the prince was going through; there was still a niggling doubt in his mind over what Arthur had just said. Where, precisely, _were_ they going?

MMMMMM

"Let me go!" Merlin yelled, throwing himself at the bars in frustration. The woman on the other side, however, just raised her eyebrows.

"Why would I want to do that? You made a mistake trying to escape, Merlin, one you will pay for."

Watching Merlin with narrowed eyes, Morgause found it hard not to just kill him on the spot, out of sheer frustration if nothing else. She still had no idea how on earth the Knights had managed to escape. It was only thanks to Pulchra she once again had Merlin back where he belonged, in a cell under her control, but any defeatist attitude he had shown before had vanished, the stubborn pride coming to the surface once more. She felt like she was going around in circles with the young servant. Her revenge wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Because Arthur is on his way here right now and he will kill you. If you just let me go, we can all go about like nothing happened."

"Is that what you did, Merlin? When you poisoned Morgana? Went about like nothing happened?"

Banging his head on the wall, Merlin sank down it into a sitting position. Why was talking to Morgause always like talking to a brick wall, he could never get the conversation to move past her desire for revenge. He didn't even know if Morgana was here, if Morgause had managed to mutter the spell in time or not to save the King's ward.

"Why are you so bitter?" Merlin eventually asked quietly, watching her closely. She may think that there was something odd about him, something she was entirely right about, but there was also something different about Morgause. She was talented, the fact she had both defeated Arthur in combat and managed to capture the Knights as well as being an extremely powerful sorceress showed that. She was also, much as he didn't want to admit it, rather beautiful. She could probably have anything in the entire world that she wanted, and yet this was what she was doing. Wasting her time taking out revenge on what she saw as someone being no more than just a common servant. So much for ambition.

"Why are you so confident?" she shot back, without missing a beat, causing Merlin to sigh. "You are no more than a servant, Merlin, you should be trembling at my feet. You know full well what I can do to you and instead you act as if this is all just a mere inconvenience."

"It is," Merlin responded somewhat tonelessly, rolling his neck in an attempt to loosen up the stiffening muscles. The fight against both whatever that creature had been and then the men had taken its toll on his battered body. "Gaius wanted me to collect some herbs, he'll be most disappointed."

"Silence," Morgause snapped, hand outstretched in preparation to do magic. Merlin, however, heeded her words and bit his tongue, knowing full well what she could, and would, do to make him stop talking. Only this time, whilst he wasn't going to just let her win, he wasn't going to just sit here and wait for her to kill him. As soon as she was gone, he was out of here, before Arthur walked straight into another trap.

"Mistress, the prince is approaching." His head jerking up quickly as a man slowly entered the room, Merlin smirked in satisfaction as Morgause looked a little irritated.

"I knew that thing wasn't to be trusted. Very well, we'll just have to speed things up. Ready the men."

"Yes, Mistress," the man responded with a small bow as he backed out of the room, giving Merlin such a look of loathing that the warlock didn't know what he had done to deserve it.

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked hesitantly, feeling even more worried as Morgause just shot him a disconcerting smile.

"You'll see. You two," spinning sharply on the spot, she addressed the two men Merlin had forgotten were still present, the two that had once again dragged him back. "Bring him upstairs."

With those words, Morgause swept out of the dungeons, her long hair flowing gracefully behind her. Watching the men approach the cell, Merlin backed into the furthest corner, ready to use magic to make a run for it. This was clearly some sort of trap for Arthur, and Merlin had had quite enough of playing the helpless servant. It was his destiny to protect Arthur, not the other way around, and he couldn't very well do that stuck in a cell who knows where.

As the men carefully opened the door, obviously trying to take every precaution they could, Merlin didn't move, forcing them to come into the cell if they wanted him to come out. However, as soon as they were both in and a reasonable distance from the door, the warlock sprang. Dodging past the surprised men with a considerable amount of ease, Merlin raced for the door. Jumping over the second man from where he had fallen, the servant tore out of the door, slamming it shut and grinning in satisfaction when he heard the lock click behind him. Sometimes, just sometimes, even Merlin didn't need magic.

Creeping forward at a much slower rate, Merlin carefully checked around each and every corner as he stole forward. He wasn't going to get caught again just because he was careless. However, despite his best intentions, the warlock took a wrong turn. Silently slipping around a corner, he stopped short, cursing inwardly when he saw Morgause standing in the middle of the corridor in front of him, talking to a man that he could only see the back of. Hoping that she hadn't yet noticed him, Merlin held his breath as he slowly retraced his steps back around the corner, praying that he would just be able to slip away again.

It would have worked if it wasn't for the vase balanced on a small table that happened to be level with the warlock's knees. Having completely forgotten it was there, Merlin tiptoed around the corner, only to hear the sudden smash as the vase hit the floor, shattering into tiny pieces. Within a second, Morgause had stopped her conversation and already Merlin could hear her footsteps.

Setting off at a run, the warlock sprinted as fast as he could down the corridor, hearing her frustrated cry bounce after him. He no longer had any idea where he was going, only knew that he had to put as much distance between himself and Morgause as possible. It didn't matter about remaining undetected now; it was far too late for that.

When he could no longer hear the sounds of pursuit, Merlin slowed down considerably, leaning against the wall shakily as he tried to regain his breath. He wasn't physically strong enough to deal with this right now, not having already been forced to fight with magic after everything they had done to him. Wiping his hand across his sweaty forehead, Merlin winced when he felt how hot it was. There was no way he would be able to keep this up for much longer, but if it was true about Arthur being on his way, then he would have to, for there was no way he was about to let the prince walk into yet another trap for the sake of his servant, it was something he had done far too many times.

Worried that he had stayed still for too long, Merlin made to set off again, only to jump violently as the two men he had locked in the cell appeared either end of the corridor, leaving him with nowhere to run. Straightening up, Merlin tried to look a little more threatening than he was feeling, but when Morgause appeared at one end, he sagged again. He could tell that the sorceress just wasn't going to give up.

"_Redimio_," she snarled, and before Merlin could so much as blink, heavy manacles had formed themselves out of thin air and wrapped around his wrists and ankles. At her nod, the men strode forward, each grabbing one of the warlock's upper arms and dragging him forward.

"You really won't give up, will you, Merlin?"

"You'll never win," Merlin spat back, adamant that he wasn't going to sound beaten. He still had a chance, he still had magic at his disposal if he needed to use it. There was no way Arthur could be allowed to reach here, Morgause bettered him in everything.

"Oh won't I?" Morgause responded coolly, raising an eyebrow at Merlin's expression of disbelief. If only he knew what was coming, he wouldn't be so quick to goad her. Stretching out her hand, Morgause smirked in satisfaction as Merlin tried to back away, only was held fast by the combination of the chains and the men. Placing it on his forehead, she chose to ignore his struggles, knowing she had to focus. As the magic built up inside her, she took a deep breath, allowing the golden tinge to fill her eyes and causing Merlin to take an audible gasp.

Staring into her enemy's eyes, Morgause let the words roll off her tongue, knowing it was about to change everything.

"_Aufero suus memoria_."

**I'll probably repeat this at the beginning of the next chapter as this is directed at someone I can't respond too, but there is a reason why Morgause is getting the upper hand, even if Merlin is more powerful. Last chapter, Merlin was disorientated from the transportation, weakened, hence why at that moment in time, Morgause was stronger. Then they basically tortured him. He knew Morgause wanted to break Arthur and was trying to use him to do it, so did not want to use magic because it was giving her fuel to the fire, so to speak. As he was weakened and refused to leave without the Knights, he knew his chances of getting out of there were not good, there were too many of them. Morgause wanted to destroy the prince and what better way to do it than tell Arthur his friend was a sorcerer who was responsible for poisoning the woman who was like a sister to him? **

**He also didn't use magic to fight of the men simply because they took him by surprise, and then he saw Arthur and assumed the prince would be able to help, so there would be no need. At the end, he was preparing to use magic, but she beat him too it. He has been tortured, fought with magic, collapsed etc, she does have the upper hand there. Even the best swordsman can be defeated if weakened, no matter how invincible they normally appear. I'm truly sorry if you feel that is out of character for him!**

**Besides, we know Merlin can't just stop everything Morgause does - series 2, episode 12, he can only lift her curse through the death of Morgana and ultimately blackmail, his magic doesn't work against hers because of the nature of the spell. Even so, I appreciate the feedback and am sorry you aren't enjoying this!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I cannot thank you enough for your support on this! A special thank you to Emachinescat, Felicity P, mw and Shivs for your reviews/messages directly responding to the problem regarding this, it meant the world to me! And to everyone else for your amazing reviews as well, means a lot!**

**And once again, thank you to MerlinStar for beta-ing this chapter for me!**

**Oooh, sorry about the confusion over this chapter being posted, it was me being a muppet and clicking the wrong buttons! I know I say I'll update on a friday, but I swear i keep doing it in the middle of the night - 1:15 am where i am at the moment! Oh well, sleep time now! :)**

Arthur no longer knew where his feet were taking him, only knew that he had to run, had to feel like he was getting closer to finding his missing servant and making all the wrongs right once more. He never told Merlin how much the black haired boy had changed him, how much he meant to him. The friendship Merlin offered was something Arthur had never experienced before, and it was only now, with the knowledge he was most likely losing him, that he realised quite how much he had taken Merlin for granted. He had never once told him how much his back chat lightened the prince's day, how much he enjoyed just being able to be Arthur around him, not have to worry about whether he was living up to what was expected of him as a prince. And the thought he may never get the chance to tell him was what was pushing Arthur to greater speeds than ever before.

Owain was right behind him: the knight's constant training meant he was having no trouble at all keeping up with the frantic pace Arthur was setting, even with having to carry the packs as well. The only thing Arthur had in his hand was the water skin, his knuckles white where he had been gripping it so tightly. Owain had a strong feeling that the prince's hand was going to be stiff and sore when he finally let go, but even the knight was not brave enough to ask him to loosen the grip. He had never seen Arthur worked into such a frenzy before. Of course, he had seen the man in battle, knew how passionate he could become whilst fighting against an enemy who had caused suffering to those he cared about. But even when Morgana had disappeared, there had been grief, no one could deny that, but there had also been acceptance. Now, however, the prince running furiously in front of him was doing anything but accepting the situation. He was desperate.

Owain had a strong feeling that when Arthur eventually ran out of energy, something he was expecting to happen quite soon considering how long they had kept this pace up for, the prince would begin to think rationally again, the physical strain helping to relieve that of the mental one and clearing his head. They had tried to get through the wall where Merlin had been taken, but whether Pulchra was lying when he said he couldn't access the magic, or whether he was telling the truth made little difference to the men. All that came from it, even with the spectacular loss of temper from Arthur, was that they couldn't get in that way. That was another thing that had the knight's head reeling. Pulchra. The way Arthur was acting about the small thing now was how Owain always thought he would have reacted to a magical being, and yet, it was almost as if it was on more of a personal level, as if he was angry at Pulchra, rather than just the fact it was a magical creature. From the comments he had overheard, Owain knew Arthur had trusted Pulchra to help find them, at least to a certain degree. And whilst he would never tell about his own acceptance of magic, Owain couldn't help but wonder whether the prince was less like the King than the men had perhaps realised.

Wondering whether he should perhaps risk Arthur's wrath and ask the prince to stop before something happened to him, Owain was secretly glad when Arthur suddenly went over on his ankle with a sharp cry of pain. Whilst he hated seeing him in any type of discomfort, he knew a twisted ankle was the least of what could have potentially happened if Arthur hadn't stopped. He had seen what happened to men who had completely run out energy; they simply didn't wake up again.

"Sire!" Hurrying to Arthur's side as the prince heavily sat down on the ground, hands gripping around his ankle and teeth gritted in pain, Owain dropped to his knees beside the man he had sworn to protect. If he was honest, Owain was starting to wonder whether he was going to have to protect Arthur from himself.

"It's fine," Arthur forced out, immediately letting go of his foot and making to stand back up again, only to be forced back to the ground when it refused to support his weight. He didn't need this, not now. He had to find Merlin before something terrible happened to the loyal fool.

"Let me see it," Owain commanded gently, dropping the packs and pulling off his gloves.

"I said it's fine." Arthur snapped waspishly, only to be fixed with a look not many would dare give to the Crown Prince of Camelot. Knowing how stubborn the young man could be, Owain merely glared back.

"Let me see it or I'm not moving another inch." He stated boldly, sitting down properly in the middle of the path whilst inwardly cringing and desperately hoping he hadn't gone too far. Whilst the bonds between the group had been close, at the end of the day, Arthur was still the prince and therefore his master. To his relief, however, a ghost of a smile touched Arthur's lips as he watched Owain in amusement, almost seeming to be aware about the inward battle the knight was having with himself regarding his actions. And the fact that he went through with it anyway despite knowing the potential consequences made Arthur realise how foolish he was being. Owain was only trying to help.

Gingerly pulling off his boot, Arthur couldn't help the slight wince as the material caught over his foot, the swelling already having reached a stage where the shoe did not want to be removed easily. Stretching it out again in front of him, Arthur clenched his fist, trying to hide the fact he was shaking. He knew it was more from shock than pain, he had been through considerably worse in the past. No, it was more to do with the fact he knew he was on a foolish quest, one that he would not be able to succeed in. The rational part of his brain knew that now Merlin had disappeared again, there would be no finding him, not with Pulchra no longer aiding him and so with no magic at his disposal. But there was a small part, one Arthur normally tried to pointedly ignore, that was saying not to give up. He couldn't give up on Merlin now, not after everything the boy had gone through in order to try and protect the prince.

"Sire?" Owain asked gently, bringing Arthur out of his musings with a jolt. Looking up, Arthur blinked in surprise to see that his foot had been strapped up and the boot replaced, Owain standing over him and offering him his hand. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts he hadn't felt a thing, something that he was grateful for.

Taking Owain's hand with a smile, Arthur allowed himself to be hauled to his feet before cautiously placing his weight on the injured foot. To his delight, it allowed him too, and limping slowly forward, Arthur carried on walking. He had only managed a couple of steps when he suddenly realised what was missing, something that had been missing ever since he fell.

"Where is it?"

"My Lord?"

"Where is that dratted creature? He is going to help us, or so help him, for I will make him regret it."

Not wanting to cross the tone in Arthur's voice, Owain helped the prince scout the bushes for the water skin. To his relief, the prince quickly found it and was even more thankful that it remained intact, the little blue light still buzzing furiously within. Whatever Merlin had done to help strengthen these had surely worked – Pulchra clearly wasn't going anywhere. For a long moment, Arthur simply glared at the water skin, making Owain hold his breath, for there was a severe intensity in that gaze that was beyond anything the knight had ever seen before.

"Sire?"

"We keep moving." Biting his tongue, Owain frowned at the back of Arthur's head as the prince tied the water skin onto his belt, obviously not prepared to let the creature out of his sight again. The knight could only wonder what had happened that made Arthur so furious with the thing. It certainly went beyond the normal reasons of it being magical, that was for sure.

He had no chance to question anything, however, for if he wanted to keep the prince in his sights, he needed to keep the pace up. Even limping, Arthur was still managing to cross vast distances; it was almost as if something was numbing the pain, giving him the strength he needed to carry on the search. And that worried Owain. He knew Arthur had yet to find out it was Morgause behind their disappearances and everything that had happened to them on this quest, but knowing how powerful she was, Owain couldn't help but wonder whether she was the reason why Arthur had more energy than he strictly should have. As if she was giving him the means to walk into the trap. The only other reason Owain could think of for the prince's strange behaviour was Merlin. Maybe the warlock was providing him with the means to rescue his servant. Either scenario sent shivers down Owain's back, for both required magic, powerful magic, something he was not happy thinking about.

The sun was beginning to set once more when Arthur finally stumbled.

"Sire, we must stop." Owain stated firmly, already putting the packs down under the shelter of the trees and sitting down next to them, a clear indicator that even if Arthur put up a fight, the knight was not going to move. He was not only worried about the young man, but if he was honest, Owain was exhausted himself. To his surprise, not to mention utmost relief, Arthur gave in without a fight.

"You're right, we're getting no closer." Walking slowly over, the prince practically threw himself down next to Owain, stretching out with a groan. His head was pounding, weariness throbbing its way through his limbs in a way he had never known before. He had no idea how he had managed to travel such a distance today, only knew that he didn't want to appear weak in front of Owain – the knights had already seen him more vulnerable on this damned trip than Arthur was happy with. Untying the water skin from his belt, the prince tossed it across the fire Owain was in the process of building, keeping Pulchra within his sights, but not wanting to be in such close contact with the creature for any longer than he had to. He couldn't believe he had, for the first time in his life, been prepared to trust something magical just to get his friends back, and all along he was being betrayed. It just showed his father was right about what he said about magic, Pulchra obviously had no understanding what the idea of friends meant, how much it was hurting Arthur he had failed his closest one.

Pulling some of the carefully prepared food from the packs, Owain bit back a smile at how thorough the prince had been. The small child taken along on hunts for the first time had always been keen to learn the tricks a man must know to survive in the wild, and it appeared the young man now stretched out next to him had not forgotten a thing. Tossing some over to the prince, Owain nodded at the grunt of acknowledgement before tucking into his own meal. For a while, silence fell over their makeshift camp as they ate, the punishing pace of the day giving them an appetite to rival the distance they had crossed.

"Where do we go next?"

"I don't know," Arthur responded wearily, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I have no idea where we even are. Are we going in the right direction? Is he even alive? Should I be doing this, or continuing to look for Morgana? I just don't know anymore!"

"Only you can decide, Sire," Owain responded quietly, sensing the prince's inner turmoil. Arthur's heart and head were clearly in confliction again. Did he carry on with the quest his father had sent him, knowing that he would at least be praised for trying, no matter what the consequences? Or did he go after his servant, knowing that, no matter whether they found Merlin or not, his father would disapprove of his actions. Not only that, but he would make everyone well aware of quite how disappointed he was. Owain had watched Arthur's face fall enough times in front of the court to know that even after all of this time, it still hurt the prince.

"I'm going to sleep," Arthur responded, rather abruptly, as he promptly turned on his side, hiding his agitation from the knight.

"Sleep well, Sire." Positioning himself in a better position to keep watch, Owain felt more at ease than he had done for a long while. This was a role he was far more comfortable in, keeping guard over the prince. It was something he had done ever since Arthur was young, whether they were on a quest or just a friendly hunt. And he knew that no matter what Arthur's decision about what they should do next, he would always continue to do so.

For a while, all was quiet, Owain staring out into the darkness in a vain attempt to see anything that might be lurking, ignoring the rain beating against his face. No wonder the prince had slipped earlier, the ground was beyond treacherous with the amount of rainfall they had experienced. After a while, though, Owain became increasingly aware of a quiet chatter going on. It wasn't hostile, but what was confusing the knight was that it was obviously coming from somewhere close, even from within the camp itself.

Jumping to his feet, the knight spared the resting prince a quick glance, but it took no more than that to establish that Arthur was still sleeping soundly. Drawing his sword slowly, Owain let his eyes roam the camp, wondering where the noise was coming from. Eventually, his eyes flickered to down by his feet, and sheathing his sword with a curse, he bent and picked up the water skin before moving away from the camp slightly, not wanting to awaken his master.

"I'm going to give you one warning now, thing. Shut up. Or no matter how much the prince wants his revenge, he may find you have disappeared." Hissing menacingly, Owain didn't find the normal feeling of guilt that often appeared when he was forced to threaten someone surface. He was obviously almost as mad as Arthur at the little creature contained within, for whilst he did not know what had happened, he had picked up enough and seen enough with his own eyes to know that this Pulchra was the reason Merlin was once again at the mercy of a dangerous woman who clearly hated him.

"Pulchra must help Emrys, Pulchra must help Emrys."

"Whose Emrys, you little weasel?"

"Master said Mistress had Emrys. Pulchra must help, Emrys cannot be lost." And with a sudden realisation, despite not knowing who else Pulchra was talking about, Owain knew who this Emrys was.

"Help him?" He practically yelled, only remembering to lower his voice at the last minute. "He was free until _you_ attacked him and now we are trying to find him again."

"Man make no sense. Pulchra did what Mistress commanded, stop servant. But now Pulchra must help Emrys. Although Pulchra not know where he is."

"I'll tell you," Owain snarled, his fist curled tight around the top of the water skin. It was taking all of his self restraint not to just throw the thing in the nearest river he could find. "Emrys is once again prisoner of your mistress. The servant _is _Emrys."

"No, no, no." Pulchra muttered, sounding confused. Even in the small light that was filtering through the water skin, Owain could see that he was sitting on the bottom of the bag, his legs curled into himself, shaking his head as he continued muttering.

"Emrys powerful, Emrys not be a servant. Mistress wanted servant, Pulchra must help Emrys."

"I'm going to say this once more. Merlin. Is. Emrys. He is also the servant you just helped be recaptured. If you really want to help him, you must lead Arthur to him."

For a moment, Pulchra did fall silent, and from what little Owain could make out, he was pleased to see that the tiny thing looked horrified. He seemed to have finally realised what Owain was trying to tell him. The knight couldn't work out why he knew Merlin was Emrys, he just did. And it made sense that someone as powerful as the young warlock would be known by other magical creatures. It made even more sense that they didn't realise the humble servant everyone but a few overlooked was the same person.

"Owain! Are you here?"

"Arthur!" Owain hissed, jumping violently. Raising the bag to eye level, he stared at Pulchra, trying to portray the seriousness of the situation. "Listen, Pulchra, or whatever your name is. If you lead Arthur to his servant, you will be freeing Emrys, trust me. But you cannot tell Arthur who Emrys is, it has to be kept a secret."

Owain had no time to check whether or not Pulchra had understood, he could only pray that the little thing did, it would cause unknown damage if he carried on with his babbling. Arthur jogged into the small clearing the knight had found, visibly relaxing when he caught sight of him.

"I thought… you weren't... never mind." Knowing he was ranting slightly, Arthur made himself take a deep breath, determined not to show to his knight how much it had scared him to wake up and find the man gone. That had been happening far too often on this trip for him to be happy with. "What are you doing out here?"

Knowing by Arthur's tone that he expected an answer, Owain wracked his brains for a good enough excuse, but before he could say anything, a third, much higher voice, cut into the conversation.

"Pulchra needed to move. Pulchra had to find trace of servant. Pulchra help Master find servant."

"And have you found anything?" Arthur snapped crabbily, snatching the bag out of Owain's hand. He wasn't whether Pulchra was referring to the fact Arthur had been trying to force the creature to help them find Merlin, or if he had indeed had a change of heart and genuinely wanted to aid them on the search. The small being did seem to have an alarming habit of changing his mind, not seeming aware that every time he did, it was a potential matter of life and death for Arthur.

"Pulchra has found something, Master. Pulchra can lead the way now."

"Let him out." Arthur ordered, shutting his eyes so he didn't have to see Pulchra leaving the bag. If the creature disappeared now, they would be completely lost. Never mind being able to find Merlin, they would first have to find themselves. When he opened them again, Pulchra was hovering directly in front of him, exactly the same way he had been when helping Arthur before and leading him to the knights. Nodding, Arthur offered the creature a small smile, knowing, without quite being sure how, that he was indeed going to help them this time. Pulchra dipped in height in return, before whizzing off into the darkness. Owain gave a shout of alarm and made to draw his sword, but Arthur quickly stretched out his hand, stopping him mid-action.

"It's fine, it is just how he moves." And with his eyes fixed on the hovering blue light in front of him, prince and then knight plunged forward, their weariness having disappeared with their new found hope. After a few moments of jogging along, Arthur suddenly stopped, a frown flickering over his face. There had been something about one of the twisted group of trees they had just passed, and in seeing another one, Arthur suddenly realised he knew where he was.

"Pulchra, this is the way to Lord Endred's manor. Are you sure we are going the right way?"

"Yes, Master. Servant has moved. This is the new way."

"He's moved?" Owain muttered, sounding confused as he turned towards the prince.

"Maybe he escaped again? Merlin does have this habit of not being where he should be." And feeling in much greater spirits, Arthur set off after Pulchra, the pain in his ankle forgotten as he strode forward, determined that this time, the end would result would be back where he belonged, at Arthur's side.

MMMMMMMMMMMM

Ignoring the muffled sound of crying through the door, the woman held tightly onto the handle, anxious that if she let go, Merlin would once more throw himself at it.

"You two," she called into the corridor, sensing the two men approach just before they came into her sight. They immediately came scurrying over, bowing low when they realised who she was.

"Madam."

"Take the boy to the north road and leave him there. If your mistress asks, tell her that he escaped, but the spell has worked, he will not be a threat."

"But…"

"Do it now or suffer my displeasure."

"Yes, Madam." And so saying, the figure stepped to the side, allowing the men access to the room. Concealing herself in the shadows, she stood well out of the way as they advanced.

"Please, who are you? Where am I? What are you doing, please, no, let go!" She had no fear of Merlin seeing her, however, as the men brought him out of the room, each gently holding an arm, but having securely blindfolded him. Smirking in satisfaction as he was lead away, Morgana stepped back out of the shadows, thankful those two men seemed to know their job properly.

She had had no qualms watching from a distance as her sister had had the servant beaten, using magic until he was begging her to stop. Merlin had poisoned her, he deserved everything Morgause tried to throw at him. She hadn't been so happy about her sister's plans to break Arthur, however – she had only been intending to use him, not make him a wreck in the process. And now, this was almost her revenge on Morgause, she would not let the sorceress use Merlin to break Arthur. And whilst it was all good fun almost to watch the servant squirm, knowing that he was paying for what he had put her through, Morgana found her conscience still annoyed her at times. When they had been with the Druids, fleeing from Arthur and his men, Merlin had sacrificed everything to help her. She had promised she wouldn't forget it, and now she was making good on that promise, meaning she owed him nothing. Although she didn't mind watching Merlin suffer for what he had done to her, now it didn't seem right considering he didn't even know who she was. That would be a surprising thing indeed, for at this moment in time, Merlin didn't even know who he was.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Merlin stumbled along the road, tripping over his own feet as he did so, frantically looking around him for something he recognised. Anything at all. Anything that could give him some kind of clue as to not only where he was, but who he was, what he was supposed to be doing. It was as if the memories were there, but instead of being able to access them, there was just a black mist, something that made his head throb when he tried to dive through it. And what was scaring him even more was that it was as if there was something inside of him wanting to react to it, something strong, powerful even, but Merlin was not sure what on earth that could be. How could he have something powerful in him and not know it? Surely if that was the case, there would be some kind of memory of who he was. But nothing, just the black mist, making everything slip out of his reach every time he thought he had grasped it. What was even worse was the feeling that he had something he was supposed to be doing, some kind of purpose, possibly a "destiny" as such. It felt important, as if something terrible would happen if he did not carry it out, but as to what it was, he had no idea.

Falling forward again, for he didn't know what else he was supposed to do, Merlin let his feet carry him. Within a few moments, however, luck struck the servant for the first time. At least, it felt like the first time, for he couldn't remember a time before when he may have felt lucky. For as he crossed the peak of the hill he hadn't even noticed he had been steadily climbing, a small village revealed itself. A large manor house stood in the centre, clusters of houses surrounding the area. A warm feeling in the pit of his stomach had Merlin stumbling even further forward: there was something comfortingly familiar about this set up, almost as if he had been somewhere like this before, only a gut feeling was telling him that whatever it was he thought he had experienced, it was on a much bigger scale than this. Almost as if it would have been a town rather than a village, perhaps even a castle compared to the large house. But for now, Merlin was happy enough to go with the warm, comforting feelings, he had nothing else to lose.

Setting off at a much faster pace and in strangely high spirits, Merlin raced down the hill, thankful he had a destination in mind. He was refusing to think about what he was going to do when he got there, instead too focused on where he was putting his feet. That was less like a gut feeling and more like an in depth knowledge that if he didn't pay attention, he would find himself rolling down the hill.

Unfortunately for him, however, even thinking about it, his clumsiness once more got the better of him, a root catching around his ankles and sharply pulling the boy over. Hitting the ground hard with a sudden whoosh, Merlin couldn't help but let a small yelp of surprise escape him as managed to fall on the steepest bit of the slope, immediately sending himself sliding further down.

Unable to stop his descent, Merlin instead just let himself roll, instinct taking over as he hurtled downwards. He had just reached the bottom, the slope smoothing out, but still causing him to move, when the thundering of horses' hooves could be heard. Eyes shooting open, Merlin stared in horror at the fast approaching riders, knowing that he was about to roll directly into their path and yet there was nothing he could do about it. As soon as the thought flickered through his head, the something he had been feeling inside of him suddenly roared into life, causing him to yell out in surprise as he felt pressure building up behind his eyes. Without knowing what he was doing, Merlin allowed whatever it was to take over, somehow knowing there wasn't anything he could do stop it, and released the tension. Immediately, something exploded out of him, sending him shooting backwards a couple of paces and coming to a stop, safely out of harm's way. Sitting where he had landed, Merlin grasped his knees with his hands, almost rocking himself backwards and forth as his breath came in short, frantic gasps. What on earth had that been?

He barely noticed the riders coming to a sudden stop in front of him as they took in the sight of the stricken youth sitting at the bottom of the hill, tremors wracking the skinny form. Even from a distance, they could see he had obviously been through something bad, his clothes were in tatters and the flesh that was exposed was covered in bruises, large welts circling his wrists. But even that didn't explain the distraught position.

"Boy?" One of the men asked kindly, handing his reigns to his companion and walking over to where the youth sat. As he glanced up, the man smiled kindly, sympathy radiating out his eyes at the tear stricken face, desperation more than apparent in the boy's features.

"Come on, son, you are safe. Look at me, take deep breaths. You have to get a control of yourself, boy, you don't want to be out in these hills after night falls."

"Why?" Merlin croaked, his brain finally registering the presence of the people in front of him.

"Why?" The man repeated with a laugh, glancing over his shoulder at his companion in amusement. "Everyone knows that, even the children. Come on, boy, on your feet."

Taking the youth's upper arm, the man gently tried to pull Merlin to his feet, only to let go in surprise as he let out a sudden yell of pain. This time, concern took the place of amusement.

"Can I have a look, boy?" Nodding mutely, Merlin let the man gently lift his shirt over his head, ignoring the sharp intake of breath as he took in the full extent of his injuries.

"What happened to you?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know, you are covered in bruises and such like. Someone doesn't get all of these without knowing how, you must have felt it at least. Who are you, boy? What's your name?"

"Please," Merlin whispered, tears once more building up in his eyes as he looked up at the man. "I don't know. Who am I?"

**Soo... the majority of you guessed it! Cookies to all!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you again to all of those of you who are still with me, although judging by the fact there were far fewer reviews last chapter, I'm guessing that is not everyone any more. I really appreciate all the support you have given me with this!**

**Again, thank you to MerlinStar for beta-ing!**

Merlin slowly peeled his eyes open, unable to shake the sense that he hadn't been this warm and comfortable for a long while. What was bugging him more, however, was that he still had absolutely no recollection of when the last time would have been; he remembered nothing more than regaining consciousness locked in a room with no idea how he had got there. Shifting slightly, he sat up hesitantly as he felt the warm blankets draped over him, taking in for the first time his surroundings. And then, only then, did he realise that he wasn't alone. He couldn't explain why, but that realisation filled Merlin with a sudden terror, as if there was something he should be scared of. He had not managed to scramble very far when a gentle hand stopped him.

"Hush, hush, my love. You've had a bit of a tumble, the master bought you back late a few days ago. You seem to have lost your memory, pet. Is anything coming back?"

"Who are you? Where am I? Who am _I_?" The last question coming out as more of a yell than anything else, Merlin wrenched his arm free from the kindly looking lady sitting at his bedside. She didn't seem surprised by his behaviour, didn't even seem the slightest bit perturbed at all, just smiled soothingly down at him.

"We were hoping you would be able to tell us the answer to that last question, duck. As for the others, I am Nancy, head of the maids here at Lord Endred's manner, which I guess answers your other question as well. You've been through a hard time, pet, your body needs time to recover."

"I haven't got time," Merlin mumbled, somewhat feverishly as he kicked back the covers and scrambled out of bed. What had escaped his attention, however, was the fact that Nancy was right and he was in no state to be wandering around. As soon as his feet hit the floor, Merlin's knees immediately buckled and he would have fallen if it wasn't for Nancy being able to move at astonishing speeds and soon the motherly maid was tucking him back into bed, fussing around him as she did so.

"You are not going anywhere, young man. Not until you've had some food inside you. Three days you've slept for. Three! And what do you want to do, go tearing about the place. Just like any other young headstrong man."

"I feel like I have to go," Merlin mumbled again, trying to ignore the pounding of his head as he attempted to wade through the black mist he instinctively knew was the reason why he couldn't remember anything. If only he at least knew what the mist was, at least that way he would be able to explain it to someone, get them to help him. Although a strong feeling in his gut made him think starting to explain about strange mists in his mind was not going to go down too well.

"And go where, my pet? You can't have a destination in mind, not if you don't even know where you are coming from, who you are. Now, you just rest easy whilst I fetch you some lunch." Crossing the room, Nancy bustled her way over to the door, pausing with her hand resting on the latch to look sternly back across the room to the bed. "I mean it, ducky. You stay just there and let Nancy take care of you."

And with those words, she left the room, shutting the door firmly behind her. No sooner had the latch caught, however, Merlin was out of bed. Breathing in deeply for a moment to stop the room spinning alarmingly, the young man could feel that fact he had clearly slept for a while: his stomach was protesting against the sudden movement. Glancing down at himself, it was only then Merlin realised he had obviously been bathed at some point. Any dirt he had been stumbling along the road with was gone. He was dressed in soft breeches; ones he could tell instantly did not belong to him, despite how well they fitted. It just didn't feel right. His shirt, however, was gone, no replacement in its wake. It was only then that he realised his wrists and the lower part of his torso were bandaged, restricting his movement slightly, although not enough to cause anything more than slight discomfort. Whoever these people were, whatever Merlin was running from, he couldn't help but feel safe here.

Even so, the feeling he had to be somewhere else wouldn't leave him, and crossing the room in a few short steps, Merlin stretched out his hand, ready to make a bid for freedom before Nancy came back. He couldn't say why, he just had this strong feeling that it would not be an easy thing avoiding her, a thought that made a smile touch his lips. It _would_ be nice to be fussed over, but there was something else he had to do first. If only he could remember what that something was…

His fingertips had just brushed the handle on the door when it suddenly began to open inwards. Jumping backwards in surprise, Merlin bit his lip, watching the door cautiously as it opened. He couldn't help but feel relieved when the man who had found him last, no, it was longer ago than that now, three nights ago backed into the room. Turning around, Merlin's mouth fell open at the enormous platter the man was carrying, feeling even more astonished as he set it carefully on the table and gestured for him to seat. As his stomach gave another grumble, Merlin needed no more encouragement, and heartily tucked into the meal, demolishing it with a speed he knew for a fact was new for him.

The man seemed pleased by it though, sitting contently in the other chair and watching the boy as he ate. Without a word, he poured out a pitcher of water and handed that to Merlin too, unable to stop the smile when that disappeared as well and the youth eventually sat back.

"Better?" the man asked kindly, receiving a very contended nod from the confused young man. "Do you know who I am?"

Thinking for a moment, Merlin shook his head, true regret being portrayed through the simple action. He was getting fed up of not knowing things.

"I know I have you to thank for finding me the other day, however long ago it was. Apart from that, I'm sorry, I don't."

"I would have been surprised if you did," the man responded, a twinkle in his eyes that showed his true sympathy for the confusion Merlin was going through. "You are right to think it was me who found you, but let me introduce myself. I am Lord Endred…."

Before he could go any further, however, Merlin leapt to his feet, horrified, and quickly sank into a bow. He may not remember who he was, but he knew for a fact that this man was obviously of some importance and nobility, and yet he had just been sitting casually at the table with him.

"S… Sire, forgive me… I…"

"Sit down, son. I know full well you didn't realise who I was, but on no account do I want you to act like that. For heaven's sake, man, you don't even know who you are. For all I know, you could be some visiting prince and it is me who should be begging your forgiveness."

Sitting slowly back down again, albeit somewhat cautiously, Merlin found that thought greatly amused him.

"I don't think you need to worry about that, my Lord. More likely the servant to a prince than…" his voice trailing off, Merlin paused, the strangest of feelings coming over him as he said that. Something about it sounded right, felt right.

"Lad?" Lord Endred prompted gently, watching the strange expression cross Merlin's face in a mixture of concern and curiosity. It was almost as if the youth was remembering something, but as suddenly as it had come, the feeling passed again and Merlin shook his head, grinning.

"I'm fine, Sire. I… I hate to ask, but I don't suppose you know what happened to me, do you?"

"I'm sorry, son, no one knows. Judging by the state of you, you have obviously taken some beating, our physician thinks that may be why you don't remember things. Give it time, lad, it will come back. I'm sure of it."

"And if it doesn't?" Merlin whispered, voicing his true fears for the first time. He didn't want to admit that he was terrified that he would never remember who he was, always have the constant feeling that he should be somewhere, but never knowing where. He knew, even after being awake for less than an hour, that he wouldn't be able to live like that, it would drive him mad.

"Then you will have a home here," Lord Endred stated seriously, locking eyes with Merlin. Smiling gently, he suddenly stretched back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head thoughtfully. "So, how about a name, lad? I can't keep calling you lad now, can I? And more importantly, I can't imagine you want Nancy calling you ducky all the time."

Throwing back his head, Lord Endred suddenly laughed, a deep throaty noise that seemed to start in his toes and work its way up through his body before exploding out of his mouth. And despite not knowing quite what was so funny, Merlin found himself joining in.

"So, how about it, lad? What do you fancy as a name? Not many people get to pick their own names."

"I don't know," Merlin muttered, suddenly feeling very self conscious as he ran his hand through his extremely untidy hair. He knew, whoever he was, it was not his position to be conversing this casually with a Lord, yet Endred seemed to be thinking nothing of it. Leaning forward again, the Lord rested his hands together, balancing his chin on top as he surveyed Merlin carefully.

"Hmm," he mused, more to himself than the boy sitting opposite him. "I think you could be an Evan, what do you think, lad?"

"Suits me," Merlin responded, trying to sound happy about it. He couldn't hide the slight bitterness in his voice though, only hoped that Endred didn't pick up on it. He knew as well as the man sitting opposite him that he was no Evan, that he had a name, a home, friends, all who would be wondering what had happened to him and perhaps would never find out. Whilst he may not have been able to remember his life beyond the main road outside of Endred's manor, he knew he had one, one he needed to get back to as soon as possible. Sensing his inner turmoil, Endred knew it was about time he excused himself, he didn't want the youth getting more upset than necessary. He may have been Lord of the manor, but Nancy would still have his hide the way she had done when he was just a child if she found out he had been upsetting her new charge.

"I'll leave you to rest then, Evan. There are some clothes in the wardrobe, they should fit you. But I ask you to stay in this room. We don't want to lose you again, do we?" The last part was added on in a light hearted tone of voice, but Merlin caught the underlying message. They didn't know who he was anymore than he did, meaning that there was every possibility he would be a threat to them. Nodding, Merlin agreed, although hating the feeling that he was being prevented from moving anywhere – it almost felt like an imprisonment. And judging by the way a shiver suddenly shot down his spine, Merlin knew that wasn't something he would at all be happy with. Keeping his eyes lowered to the table, Merlin didn't watch Endred leave, didn't want to get a glimpse of the freedom he had a sudden longing for but knew he could not have.

It was only when the door was closed softly behind him that Merlin dared look up again, angrily brushing away the tears building up in his eyes. What was the point of crying, the chances were that he wouldn't remember what he was crying about anyway. Yelling out in frustration, Merlin angrily kicked out at the table, cursing even more when it did nothing to relieve his frustration, only added to it by causing his ankle to throb dully.

Hobbling across the room, cursing colourfully the whole way, Merlin bit his lip to try and stop his language. It would do no good for Endred to hear that now, not when he had been so good to the boy. Pulling the wardrobe door open rather violently, Merlin stopped short when he caught sight of what was inside, blinking in surprise. The shirts there were the same style as the one he had been in, yet made with a much finer quality, a fabric that felt soft and comfortable when he pulled it on over his head. Yet despite its comfort, part of the young man longed for the sensation his old shirt had given him. By accepting the new ones, Merlin couldn't help but feel like he was accepting this new life, something he was not prepared to do, not just yet.

Crossing back over to the door, Merlin once more hesitated. He had agreed to Endred's request he stayed in the room, but it wasn't like he had promised or anything. Surely a quick look around wouldn't hurt anyone, especially if he remembered the route he took and didn't catch anyone's eye. He would just be another shadow slipping through the manor house. A place like this was bound to have servants everywhere; all he would have to do was act like one of them. Something told him he wouldn't find that to be a problem.

Pushing against the door, Merlin immediately frowned when it refused to move. Deciding to try pulling instead, the frown merely deepened when the door did nothing towards opening. Trying it a few ways each just in case, Merlin stepped back from the door, chewing on his lip as he contemplated what this meant. Despite their friendliness, Endred and his staff clearly didn't trust him in the slightest, the locked door was proving that. And despite knowing they clearly had a good reason, for Merlin was not even sure whether he trusted himself or not, he couldn't help but find that he was angry at the fact they had locked him in. He had agreed that he was going to stay in the room, and although he was now going against that, they had not been prepared to accept his word. As his anger grew to what he knew was disproportionate compared to what had happened, Merlin suddenly gasped as the same sensation that had occurred when he had thought he was going to be trampled by the horses once more overwhelmed him.

His breathing coming fast and shallow, Merlin didn't quite know how to react as his hand rose again, automatically stretching out in front of him. For a split second, Merlin stared at it, utterly perplexed, but when the strange words began to roll effortlessly off his tongue, and he felt the burning sensation rush through him, making him feel alive and vibrant, he stopped thinking and just acted on instinct. Breathing deeply as the feeling resided, Merlin took a moment to catch his breath, feeling the most amazing adrenaline rush shoot through his body. With a loud click, the door suddenly swung open, silent on its hinges as it showed the warlock the freedom the corridor offered.

For a moment, Merlin hesitated, his anger having dissipated at the blatant fact they were clearly right not to trust him, but the temptation was too great. Glancing around the room in almost an apology, Merlin slipped from the its clutches.

MMMMMM

"Sire, we have to stop!" Beginning to lose his temper with the stubborn young man stumbling in front of him in a way that was clearly painful, Owain flexed his hand in order to try and keep calm. Arthur could certainly be just like his father if it suited him, and the last thing the knight wanted now was for the prince to decide he was better going off alone, especially considering his exhaustion. They had travelled through the last two nights, barely resting. It was only through Owain's insistence they had even stopped for an hour to eat the day before: he was beginning to get seriously worried about his prince. Pulchra wasn't helping matters either. He seemed to be genuine in his desire to save Merlin, randomly changing direction occasionally, but generally keeping them heading in a straight line, frantically flitting backwards and forwards anxiously whenever they slowed down. But slow down they had, their pace slowly decreasing as time drew on, unable to keep it up at the same rate.

"Sire! You don't even know where we are heading, you have to stop." Not expecting Arthur to respond, Owain nearly crashed into the young man as Arthur did indeed skid to a halt, almost slipping on the wet ground before spinning around and staring at his knight, hands on his hips and causing Owain to inwardly groan at how like Uther Arthur was looking.

"I know precisely where we are going. The Shadra woods are just beyond Lord Endred's house, that must be where they have taken Merlin, that place is full of dark magic. Barely anyone who has gone in has come out alive."

"Then please, Sire, by all means, I will follow you in there, I have sworn to protect you, but surely it will be better to go in well rested. You are no good to Merlin dead." Adding the last bit on rather bluntly, Owain was hoping to shock Arthur into realising how drained they both were, but instead, the prince just lifted his head, defiance spiralling out of his stance.

"And each time we stop means there is less and less chance of finding Merlin alive. If you wish to rest, Owain, I will not stop you. I, however, am going on. Pulchra, let's go." Sighing in irritation as Arthur limped forward again, Owain dutifully followed, not realising the prince had heard his sigh.

Part of Arthur felt incredibly guilty for dragging Owain along like this. The man had just escaped from captivity himself, only to be pushed at a punishing pace as Arthur gave into his feelings of guilt and let them drive him. He had promised Gaius he would keep his ward safe, both of them knowing how hopeless Merlin was with a sword. Not that he would ever admit to Merlin his promise to keep the clumsy servant safe though, it was far easier to brush off his concern with jibes and somewhat snide comments. He had hoped he had managed to distance himself from his servant, to not care the way his father had taught him, but he just couldn't. He had to find Merlin, because if he didn't, not only would he be letting the servant down, but Gaius and Leon as well. The latter could have so easily died from Pulchra's attack, especially considering the amount of magic used. Arthur simply had to find Merlin in order to make it up to everyone.

Hearing a sudden curse behind him, Arthur glanced over his shoulder only to see Owain hastily get back to his feet, clearly not wanting Arthur to notice anything. Knowing his knight as well as he did, Arthur didn't say anything, just subtly changed the pace to see if Owain was hurt or not. If he was honest, it was good to be able to slow down; his own ankle was giving him more grief than he wanted to admit. Now, however, he knew it was his duty to protect his men as much as it was their duty to protect him, and there was no way he was going to keep the cruel pace up if Owain had injured himself.

It was clear Arthur wasn't the only one with a sore ankle, although Owain was doing his utmost not to show it, limping forward as quickly as possible. It didn't slip Arthur's notice, however, and coming to a halt again, the prince sighed deeply, running his hand over his eyes.

"We're only about an hour from Lord Endred's house. We can get there by lunch time and rest for a couple of days before going into the woods."

"Sire…"

"We can't go on like this, Owain, you are right." Smirking at the shocked expression on his companion's face, Arthur lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Tell anyone I said that and I'll have you banished."

"Yes, Sire," Owain responded, a smirk of his own matching the prince's. Whilst his ankle was throbbing somewhat, Owain couldn't help but wonder if it had been worth it. This was the first time he had seen any sign of the old Arthur since Merlin had once more been taken, a determined and focused prince taking the place of the loyal friend. Now, though, it seemed as if the true Arthur was once more back.

"Pulchra! Slow down, we have to stop in a little while!"

"Can't stop. Save Emrys. Must keep going." The little creature's speech, whilst it had always been fragmented, seemed even more so than normal, almost as if he too was feeling the effects of their crazy march through the forest. They had covered more ground in the last three days than the knights could normally cover in a week.

A companionable silence fell over the two men as they continued to stride onwards, having a destination in mind meant they felt the spring once more return to their step. Arthur knew Endred would help, he had always been a close ally of the King, not to mention a dear friend of Uther's. In fact, Arthur had spent many a summer in Endred's manor house, pestering the man why he wouldn't let the ten year old child ride out into the supposedly haunted woods behind his house. Even though he wished it was under better circumstances, Arthur couldn't help but be glad that he was going to see his old friend again. Endred had always had a way of making him feel better, especially after Uther had ignored his only son for the more pressing demands of court. With a slight shudder that he hoped Owain didn't see and a rueful smile, he also recalled Nancy, the fierce housekeeper. The woman had always had her heart in the right place, but position and status meant nothing to her if something was done that did not meet her approval. Arthur had had nightmares for many weeks to come about the time he had marched mud through the house. Being a prince had done nothing to save him from her annoyance.

"Sire?" Owain suddenly interrupted, not quite noticing how lost in thought the prince was until he suddenly jumped before managing to compose himself. Glancing quizzically back over his shoulder, Arthur whipped his head back around when Owain merely nodded, signalling to something in front of the prince. For the first time in a long while, a true smile graced Arthur's features as he caught sight of the roof of Endred's house. Everything was going to be alright now, it simply had to be. Stumbling forward with a newfound pace, Arthur couldn't stop the wide grin spreading, lending him a sudden burst of energy he had been lacking in for quite a considerable length of time. It would be good to see the old man again.

MMMMMMM

Merlin tiptoed through the corridors, automatically holding his breath every time footsteps headed his way. Luckily, through some fortune, no one had attempted to come down the corridor the warlock was in, meaning his exploration had been uninterrupted so far. Although suddenly, exploring was the furthest thing from Merlin's mind, he was just allowing his feet to take him whatever path they wanted, his mind was preoccupied. More pressing was the fact he seemed to have magic at his disposal, and judging by the way he had opened the door, it was not something he could control, but more something that could control him. Perhaps that was why Endred had locked him in, maybe he knew about the power his young guest had at his disposal and wanted to harness it for himself? Shaking his head, Merlin knew that wasn't the case. There was no way Endred could know about his magic, and a niggling feeling was telling him that he couldn't let the other man find out. No matter how kind the Lord had been, Merlin knew, even without his memory, that no one could find out what he could do. He was lost and confused enough as it was, he didn't need any more added complications.

"Evan? Is that you, lad? I thought I told you to stay in the room?" Spinning sharply on the spot, Merlin gaped at the figure who had appeared silently at the end of the corridor, not being able to come up with a good enough excuse for Lord Endred. The man had been good to him, he didn't want to lie.

"I thought I locked the door?" Endred mused, more to himself than Merlin as he strode towards the youth, concern flickering in his eye. Anxious to try and avoid any awkward questions, Merlin merely shrugged.

"I'm sorry, my Lord. The door was open, I just couldn't resist the temptation to look to see where I was. There is so much I don't know at the moment, I just needed to know where I was."

"It's alright, lad," Endred interrupted softly, making Merlin breathe a sigh of relief, trying to hide the fact he had just managed to unnerve himself by how easily he had come up with that lie. It had made him sound desperate, and yet, Endred seemed to accept it with no issue at all. Who on earth was he that he could lie that readily?

"Come on, Evan, let's get you back. Nancy will flay us both if she knows you've been wandering. Trust me, lad, you don't want to get on her wrong side. I'm sure I've still got the marks from when I was a boy. If you see her with a spoon, run."

Unable to stop himself, Merlin was quickly laughing, allowing Endred to lead him back to his room. There would be time for exploring at another stage, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, Merlin was feeling tired. How he could feel tired after three days of sleeping was beyond him, but his body was clearly trying to remind him of whatever it was he had been through.

"My Lord?" Wincing slightly at Nancy's voice, Merlin spared the man at his side half a glance, but Endred had already turned.

"We have a young visitor that is claiming to need your help. And if I do say so myself, he is not looking his perky self."

"Show him in then, Nancy." Turning his attention back to Merlin, Endred smiled down at the young man. "How do you fancy acting as my servant then, Evan?"

"I'd be honoured, Sire," Merlin quickly responded with a slight bow of his head. Despite knowing he was powerful, there was something comfortingly familiar about the idea of being a servant, and for once, Merlin was going to go with comforting thoughts; he was hoping that it would soon reveal quite why it seemed such a good idea. Following Endred down the corridor, Merlin couldn't help but gape at the decoration of the room they had stepped in, it was far greater than anything he had seen on his brief exploration of the house.

"Ah, if it isn't his royal highness himself. Arthur, it is good to see you, my prince. It has been far too long. Arthur? Are you alright?"

Eventually lowering his eyes from the magnificent ceiling at the tone of voice Endred was using, Merlin accidentally caught the eye of the blond visitor standing across the room, immediately feeling a shiver shoot down his back. As try as he might, he couldn't break the stare, finding himself locked in those eyes, his breathing quickening. The visitor looked like he was serving no better, going pale as he all but gaped at the servant, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Arthur? May I introduce my servant, Evan. Lad? Come here, lad." Merlin didn't mean to ignore Endred's orders, more just found himself incapable of moving. The black mist in his mind was getting thicker, almost as if it was desperately trying to prevent him from remembering something, something he was obviously getting closer to revealing. He was still unable to break the gaze of the stranger, although the other man had yet to look away either.

"Arthur? Talk to me, Sire! You, knight, help me rouse your master, something seems to have shocked him. I say, man, are you deaf?" Much to Merlin's discomfort, the man's companion was also staring at him with a similar expression, although not to the same extent.

"Merlin?"

And with that one simple word, Merlin felt the mist in his mind descend upon him, becoming more like a fog, drowning out any other thought, pressing in on his skull. Clutching his hands to his head with a moan, Merlin couldn't help but sink to his knees, trying to alleviate the pressure. He wanted nothing more than to force his way through the mist, but he just couldn't find the strength to do it.

"Merlin! What have you done to him? What's wrong? Merlin, talk to me!"

As the shouts echoed around the room, Merlin found he was no longer able to focus on one thing, instead the voices were echoing around his mind, bouncing off and increasing in intensity and volume. Seeing the blond man begin to rush towards him, Merlin did the only thing he could. He allowed his body to win and gave in to the darkness of the mist.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ha, you almost didn't get this, I've completely lost track of what day of the week it is. It's Friday again, how is that even possible?**

**I cannot thank you enough for all of those lovely reviews, you all really made my day when I saw them sitting in my inbox! Huge thank you to all, and I hope you continue enjoying this!**

**Once again, thanks to MerlinStar for her awesome help! I owe you big time, honey!**

"Arthur, please, put the sword down…"

"What have you done to him?"

"Nothing! Please, Sire, if you will just come with me, I can explain…"

"I'm not going anywhere! Not until you tell me why I've just found _my _servant at your house who, may I add, seems to have no idea who I am!"

"Sire, please! The sword!"

Letting out a low moan as he clawed his way back out of the darkness, Merlin scrunched his eyes up at the onslaught of the noise, wanting nothing more than to tell them all just to shut up. However, he knew that Endred outranked him by more than he could probably imagine and the fact that he was addressing this stranger respectfully indicated that whoever he was, he was important. And despite knowing nothing about who _he_ was, Merlin knew that he couldn't just tell them to shut up and go away. Luckily for the warlock, however, there was someone else present, someone who had no qualms about telling the men precisely what she thought of their behaviour.

"Enough, duckys!" Nancy practically bellowed, making both Arthur and Endred jump about a foot in the air. Perched on the edge of the chair next to the bed where they had placed Merlin after he had fallen, the maid had seen his distress, knowing that the argument was doing nothing to reassure him.

"Arthur, put the sword down this instant, pet. You know how I feel about weapons in the house. If you are not going to talk this through like the man you are supposed to be, then you can all just go away, as this isn't helping Evan."

"That's not his name," the stranger's voice snarled, but even without opening his eyes, Merlin knew he had indeed lowered his sword. He wasn't sure how he knew, it was just something in the tone of his voice. The warlock had a feeling he should know that voice, be able to explain how he knew the man was looking put out – close on pouting – without even seeing him.

"We know he is not called that, but no one knows what his real name is."

"What do you mean, no one knows what his name is, why didn't you just ask him? He may be an idiot, but even _Mer_lin knows the answer to that one."

"Sire, you may want to sit down for this," Endred cut in softly, and hearing the chair being dragged across the floor towards the bed, Merlin decided it was time to inform whoever it was that was in the room he was awake. He wanted to be part of this conversation, it was clearly going to be about him even if no one knew who he was. This stranger might have the answers he was so desperately looking for.

Shifting under the covers, Merlin cracked his eyes open, jumping in surprise to see Nancy immediately bending over him, gazing at him in concern.

"You gave us a scare there, ducky," she murmured, resting the back of her hand against his forehead, clearly checking for signs of fever or anything else. Squirming away, but without trying to look like he was avoiding her, Merlin frowned at the laugh that echoed around the room.

"I'd give up if I were you, Nancy, he isn't a good patient. You should see what Gaius has to go through to make him stay in bed."

There it was again. That feeling. The same feeling he had felt when he caught sight of the man, that familiarity that had washed over him at Endred's proposal of him being a servant. This name, Gaius, it meant something to him. Concentrating hard, Merlin tried to focus on the name, trying to force the mist to reside so he could grasp onto the memories floating just beyond it, but feeling it once more begin to descend, he quickly gave up. He wanted to remain conscious for this talk.

"Ignore him, pet. If he doesn't start at the beginning with this mysterious tale, he'll just have to go away."

"Careful, Nancy, I'm still the prince."

"Makes no difference to me, Evan doesn't know that. Are you going to behave, or do I have to send you away, Arthur?"

"I don't think he'll go."

"What… what makes you think that, Evan?" Endred asked, his voice forcibly calm. Merlin, however, was not listening, propping himself up on the pillows and frowning in concentration. _How _did he know that? How did he know for a fact that the young man sitting on the chair at the foot of the bed was as stubborn as he was proud, yet that he was also fiercely protective of those close to him? Shaking his head at the randomness of his thoughts, Merlin shrugged.

"Hang on," Arthur butted in, wriggling forward so he was in danger of falling of the chair if he wasn't careful. If the prince was honest, he hadn't got a clue what was going on. Why did Merlin not recognise him? Why was he not making some feeble excuse about why he had managed to get himself caught again, how it couldn't _possibly _be his fault, he was just caught unaware? But instead, the boy in front of him, whilst looking like Merlin, was acting nothing like the servant Arthur had become accustomed to; he was being far too timid, too cautious.

"Why _wouldn't_ he think that? Damn it, Merlin, snap out of this."

"Arthur, you don't understand…"

"I am the bloody prince! Merlin, I order you to snap out of this, or so help me, I'll…" Jumping to his feet in what appeared to be anger, Arthur turned away, running his hand over his eyes and sighing wearily. He had no idea what was going on, and whilst he wanted this to be all be a big joke over which Merlin would tease him for months to come, he knew that was not the case. Endred was too loyal, and besides, there was no way Merlin was this good an actor.

"Arthur?"

"Just tell me what the hell is going on." His shoulders slumping in defeat again, Arthur sat heavily back down, but it didn't escape Endred's notice he wouldn't look anyone in the eye, a clear sign the prince was feeling out of his depth.

"No one is quite sure of the whole story, Sire," Endred began softly, his voice low and soothing. His eyes flickered between Arthur and Merlin, however, and the latter of the two knew that this story was going to be for his benefit as much as the prince's. It would be good to know what on earth had been going on.

"Three days ago I was riding back from a hunting trip when we came across this young man at the edge of the road. To say he was scared would be an understatement." Glancing away, Merlin tried to hide the burning tips of his ears. He didn't need everyone in the room to know _that _particular fact. Endred had been right though, the warlock had been beyond terrified; not only had he not known who he was, he had just discovered that he possessed magic. Not that Endred would ever know the real reason behind his fear, however.

"He had no idea who, or where, he was and on catching sight of some of his injuries, I knew for a fact he had been through a great deal. No one gets that covered in bruises and cuts, not by accident anyway."

"One moment," Arthur suddenly interrupted, sitting up straighter again. His words were being addressed to Endred, but his eyes were locked on the servant. "What injuries?"

Looking up quickly, Merlin caught Endred's eye, who nodded. Slowly and hesitantly, Merlin drew his shirt over his head, wincing slightly as it caught on the bandage still wrapped around his torso. As the material fell away, Arthur jumped to his feet with a curse. The worst were hidden by the bandages around not only his midriff, but his wrists as well. Apart from the bandages, there was evidence plenty to show whatever it was he had been through.

"Owain!" Arthur suddenly yelled, making Merlin jump and spare Endred another brief glance, this time full of uncertainty. Endred smiled gently at him, an unspoken reassurance that he had nothing to fear, and the warlock once again relaxed. A man quickly made his way into the room, the same one Merlin knew had been there when he had first set eyes on the stranger.

"Why didn't you tell me how badly he was injured?"

"I didn't know, Sire. We knew he had been through a lot, she was determined to make him suffer, but everyone was injured. In the escape and then the fight after that, it didn't occur to me that you didn't know. I'm sorry if I have done wrong, Sire."

"No, it's fine," Arthur muttered, eventually tearing his eyes away from his servant, feeling slightly sick. How could the boy not be in agony? From the extensive list of injuries and near death experiences he had gone through himself, Arthur knew for a fact that Merlin must be sore. Endred was right: no one, not even the clumsy warlock, could get _that_ hurt and not know about it. Thinking back on Owain's words, something suddenly caught Arthur's attention, something he couldn't believe had taken him this long to think of.

"Who's she?"

"Sire, please." Butting in abruptly before Owain could answer, Endred glanced anxiously at the prince. "Can we have one tale here at a time, please? I myself don't know what is going on and Evan is missing enough of the details as it is. Let's get one thing done first?"

"You're right," Arthur said quietly, relaxing back into the chair once more. Taking that as a signal, Merlin carefully pulled his shirt back on again, not wanting to keep on show what he had been through.

"We wanted to bring him back to the manor, get Nancy to have a look at him, but before we had the chance to ask whether he was alright to accompany us, he passed out. Our physician had a look at him whilst he was unconscious. I think it is his belief that the memory loss is due to the beating and that as he heals, the memories will come back."

"And what do you think?" Merlin had been so wrapped up in the tale that it took him a moment to realise that the prince was talking to him. Sighing deeply, he shut his eyes, letting himself feel the mist. He knew there was more to this than just a temperamental thing, it was as if the mist was deliberately preventing him from remembering things. Every time he got close, every time something was beginning to feel familiar, it would descend, blocking the memory away again. No, this was more than just a side effect. Whatever it was that was now affecting his memory was deliberate.

Arthur, however, correctly interpreted Merlin's silence, running a hand over his eyes. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. He had found Merlin, something he had sworn that he was going to achieve, and yet things were no better than they had been before. Sure, he had physically found the servant, but this was not the Merlin Arthur knew.

"So what happens now? I've got a servant who can't remember his own name with no idea how he lost his memory. He can't even tell me who is behind it, because he can't remember. This is just great."

"Actually, Sire…"

"Owain, just shut up. Unless you have any bright ideas of how to get Merlin's memory back to find out who is behind this, then just keep your mouth shut."

"Arthur!" Endred immediately scolded. He might have had absolute respect for the prince, but there were times when the fiery young man in front of him was still the ten year old boy who didn't know where to draw the line with his stubbornness. If there was one thing Endred would not stand from Arthur, it was rudeness to a man that had obviously sacrificed a lot to keep the future king safe. Owain, however, looked unperturbed. Instead, he merely raised an eyebrow, something he would have never have dreamed of doing in Arthur's presence before all of this, and regarded the prince coolly. Somehow, he knew he would be able to get away with it this time: Arthur was too upset to notice, despite his best efforts to hide it behind his anger.

"Merlin is not the only one who has been there."

His voice quiet and soft, Merlin winced at the tone. It was almost dangerous. This man had obviously been through a lot as well, and it was affecting him enough to cross the boundaries of his status. It had the desired effect though, for Arthur immediately dropped his eyes, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry. It was just… I didn't expect… please, Owain. Tell me who is behind this?"

"Do you remember Morgause?"

"The enchantress? How could I forget her? She knows who is behind this?"

"No, Sire."

"Oh."

"She _is_ the one behind this."

"What?" Merlin was tempted to roll his eyes as Arthur once more shot to his feet. It would be quite nice if the man could decide whether he wanted to sit down or stand up – it was making Merlin feel giddy just watching him. In fact, Merlin was too busy wondering whether the prince had managed to give himself a head rush yet that he failed to notice the man turn to stare at him with the most peculiar expression on his face.

"She's used magic on him, hasn't she? That would explain a lot." The last half of the sentence was completely lost on the warlock though, for at the word magic he had immediately stiffened up, eyes darting alarmingly around the room, paranoia making him wonder whether these strangers knew about his gifts. Casting a frantic look towards them, Merlin almost forgot how to breathe as he found they were both watching him, almost as if waiting for a reaction.

"It's alright, Merlin, she can't hurt you here. You are right to fear her magic, but you are safe here." Ignoring Arthur's words, however rude it might seem, Merlin instead found his attention locked on the other man. He was watching him through narrowed eyes, his gaze unfaltering as he very subtly shook his head, a strange expression on his features. Without knowing how, Merlin knew instantly that this man knew about his powers, and yet at the same time he was trying to keep it hidden from his companion.

Before anything more could be said though, a shrill scream suddenly echoed through the room, causing Arthur's hand to fly to the hilt of his sword and Owain to tense. Endred carefully crossed over to the door, and at Arthur's nod, pulled it open to see a terrified maid running past.

"What the-?" Muttering under his breath in confusion, Endred spared a glance behind him in Merlin's direction, catching Arthur's eye and knowing that the prince was worried about the servant as well. Sticking his head out of the door, Endred quickly pulled it back inside, blinking in astonishment even as his hand flew to his belt, grasping the hilt of his sword in the same manner as Arthur. Watching them with wide eyes, Merlin couldn't help but swallow. There was clearly something big going on, something that he was part of, and yet the man standing next to the prince seemed to be warning him not to let anyone know that he could help. It wasn't just the man though; Merlin himself couldn't help but feel it would be a bad idea to let Arthur know he had magi;, it was the same feeling he got whenever he came close to being able to reveal something.

Arthur, however, was feeling his protective drive coming back in full swing. Merlin was more defenceless than ever, an easy target for anyone or anything and this time, the prince was not going to let anything happen. Slowly drawing his sword from its scabbard, Arthur crossed the room to stand beside Endred. Glancing at the man he had looked up to for so long, Arthur nodded as Endred caught his eye, and counting down under his breath, sprung out of the door as soon as he reached three.

Peering around him in confusion, Arthur didn't relax the hold he had on the sword as he examined the empty corridor. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but a deserted stretch of hallway was certainly not it. After waiting for a few moments to see if anything was going to reveal itself, the prince slowly began searching. Something had scared the maid, and Arthur had been caught unaware enough times on this trip to make him feel slightly ashamed. He hadn't been looking very long, however, before a small chattering could be heard.

Sheathing his sword even as he rolled his eyes, Arthur placed his hands on his hips, staring in the direction he could now hear the noise from.

"Come out, Pulchra, I know you are there." As soon as the words left his lips, Pulchra did indeed reveal himself, shooting out of an ornamental vase that was standing directly next to Arthur. Buzzing around the prince's head a few times, Arthur was surprised to see how relaxed and almost happy Pulchra was. Something had once again changed within the creature; the moment he had once again been genuine in his desire to find Merlin, it was as if a great weight had been lifted off him. Arthur couldn't explain it, but felt it was almost as if the creature wanted to help him, and yet at times was somehow prevented from doing so.

Striding back into the room, Arthur shook his head at Owain's questioning gaze.

"Pulchra," he stated simply, and the knight grinned. He should have known. The small thing had been quiet for too long, it was about time he had made his presence known again.

"Who?" Endred asked, curiosity infiltrating his tone. Normally, he would just assume it was another of Arthur's knights, perhaps one he had yet to meet. This time, though, he could tell by what was left unsaid that there was something about this Pulchra that was going to surprise him. Before he could ask, however, Merlin gave a sudden gasp.

Immediately, all three of the men spun around to face the servant, Arthur leaping forward in concern. Merlin was sitting even more upright than before, his eyes narrowed as they latched onto the buzzing creature just in front of Arthur that Endred had yet to notice. The prince took in how wide his eyes were and how pale he was looking, but before he could say anything to banish Pulchra for the time being, he caught sight of Merlin's hands. They were balled into tight fists, clenching the sheets so hard his knuckles were turning white. His eyes almost looked like they were burning as his gaze remained fixated on the creature, his breathing coming in shallow gasps.

"Evan?" Endred asked softly, trying to hide how alarmed he was at the look that the servant was sporting. It was unnerving how the weakened boy with no clue as to who he was could look so powerful at that moment in time. He may not know who the boy he had taken into his care was, but Endred knew he was a lot more than a servant.

"They've met before," Arthur muttered quietly, holding out his hand to stop Endred from moving forward. He was curious as to what was going on. There was indeed some form of recognition in Merlin's eyes, that couldn't be denied, but not just of Pulchra. It was almost as if he was beginning to remember something, only that it was just beyond his reach. Wondering whether it was the effect of having something magical in the room, Arthur opted for just watching, not wanting to interfere if Merlin was starting to come back to them.

Arthur was right, Merlin was indeed remembering something. More than that, he was feeling something. A rush of emotions so strong that they were threatening to overwhelm him was crashing over his consciousness, causing him to tighten his grip on the sheet in order to stop himself from looking away from the creature. He could feel familiarity, knew that he was feeling some sort of connection to the prince, a bond of destiny binding them together. The only way he could describe it was it seemed as if he was hypnotised, his gaze locked on the creature whilst allowing his mind to access these previously hidden feelings. It was as if it was a back door to his mind had opened, letting him in without the mist descending.

"Evan! Answer me, boy!" Quickly bought out of his musings as Endred's hands grasped him by the shoulders and gave him a shake, Merlin couldn't help but gasp in surprise. The man had never shown any side of him that resembled how he looked now, one hand once again straying towards his sword, fear written on his face. The second he released the servant, Arthur sprang forward, positioning himself in between the two of them.

"What was the meaning of that, Endred? Can't you see he was remembering something?"

"That _creature _is clearly magic, Sire. It cannot be good, despite any appearances! If Evan is having a connection to something magic, the thing is obviously working some spell on him."

"Pulchra is my guide. He may not be what you expect, but he has brought us this far. I only ask you trust my judgement before you do something brash." Unaware of how like his father he was sounding, Arthur stood calmly and impassively. He was back in the role of the prince, trying to hide how surprised he actually was that it had taken Endred this long to react to Pulchra. He only supposed it was because the old man's eyes weren't what they used to be: locating the creature could be a challenge when the person doing so was not used to it.

"Of course, Sire," Endred muttered, backing down and bowing to Arthur's authority. He was proud of the young man, that was for sure, and the fact that he was not disturbed in the face of magic, well... Endred wondered whether there was more to the prince than he had perhaps given the man credit for. He knew Pulchra was of magical origins – it could not be denied by anyone, even the confused Merlin – meaning he knew he had to act in an offensive manner or risk being accused of treason and allowing magic to happen in his household. This side of Arthur, however, was one that he had not seen before. It was a trusting, accepting side, and one that strengthened Endred's belief that he was one day going to be a great king. It wasn't just Endred though. Merlin was staring at the man like he had only just woken up, small fragments of memory floating their way through his mind.

He could remember their first meeting, snippets of their past together as he had saved the prince and in return, Arthur had accepted and returned his friendship. There was nothing more there than that, just a feeling blossoming within him, but it was the most he had felt since he had awoken a few days ago locked in a strange room.

"Merlin?" For the first time, Merlin sat up a little straighter at that name, nodding in acknowledgment as Arthur watched him closely, concern radiating out of his blue eyes. With a sudden rush, Merlin also felt the return of the need to be somewhere, something that had all but disappeared since Arthur's arrival. Swinging his legs over the bed, his movements did not go unnoticed, but before anyone could comment, an angry voice could be heard echoing down the corridor once more.

"I will not have things like that in the master's house. Leave immediately!" Nancy's angry tones could be heard quite clearly, but what worried all present in the room was the shrill scream that followed her words. Automatically, Arthur glanced up towards Pulchra, and seeing the creature still buzzing around, knew they were dealing with something different. Unsheathing his sword in a quick movement, Arthur was by the door before Merlin could so much as blink, Owain by his side.

"Master must not go!" The sudden voice made all the occupants of the room jump as Pulchra came whizzing down from the ceiling, hovering uncertainly in front of Arthur. The way he was rapidly dipping and rising in height made Arthur realise the creature was either worried or scared.

"What is it, Pulchra?" Trying to keep his voice calm, the prince watched his guide carefully. Whilst he could tell that the thing was worried, he knew this time it had nothing to do with any actions of his own. The creature almost appeared as if it was listening to, or at least, sensing something. "Pulchra, tell me, what is it? Who is here?"

Just as Pulchra was about to answer, the whole house appeared to tremble. The standing occupants of the room were thrown to the floor; Merlin back onto the bed.

"Magic!" Owain cried, his own sword involuntary shaking in his hand. Merlin scurried back on the bed as far as he could go, worry about what he was supposed to do coursing through him, whilst Endred gave a small but noticeable shudder. Arthur and his knight jumped to their feet, weapons at the ready as they once again headed towards the door.

"Master must not go!" Pulchra repeated frantically, resuming his position in front of Arthur in order to try and protect the prince.

"Pulchra," Arthur stated warningly, one eyebrow raised. He knew Pulchra understood what that tone of voice meant, and sure enough, the creature dipped in submission.

"It's Mistress." he muttered quietly, causing Arthur to shout aloud in frustration. Was Morgause never going to give up? Sparing a glance at Owain, he immediately noted how the man paled at that name. No wonder; he had suffered at her hands, seen what she was capable of. His train of thought making him consider Merlin, he turned back to the bed to see the boy standing up, just behind them, determination blazing in his eyes in a way that caused Arthur to frown in confusion.

"Merlin, I want you to hide. I'm not going to let her hurt you again, but she doesn't need to know you are here."

"No."

"I'm sorry? That was an order!"

"I'm not going to obey you when I don't know who you are. Who says that you are my prince?"

"You are a citizen of Camelot, meaning… oh." Unsure of how to finish his sentence without contradicting himself, Arthur instead opted for glaring, unable to believe Merlin had a point. Technically speaking, Arthur was not Merlin's prince. He was only a temporary citizen of Camelot, however much he might think of the physician's chambers as his home. He wasn't born in Camelot, not even in her kingdom, owed no allegiance to Arthur apart from what he had offered freely. Now that was gone though, Arthur knew he couldn't actually force Merlin to do what he said, not without lying to him about where he was from. And lying was something he was definitely not prepared to do to the boy, especially considering the confused state he was already in.

"I think she already knows I'm here, why else would she be here? And I am not going to run again. She, whoever she is, is my only way of finding out who I am."

"But, Merlin...!" Arthur cried, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. How was he supposed to tell the boy that he was more than helpless on an everyday basis, let alone when he was injured and had no idea how useless he was with a sword?

"I'm coming," Merlin responded obstinately, and to Arthur's surprise, Owain began to laugh. Turning towards him, Arthur opened his mouth, but his wasn't the only voice that spoke.

"What?" Both master and servant demanded, making him laugh even harder, much to their confusion.

"Things never change," was all the knight made to get out, forcing himself to draw a breath and gain control of his emotions. It was just how ordinary the situation was, Arthur and Merlin arguing over whether the servant should be allowed to accompany the prince on one of his missions or not. As the ground shook again, albeit not to the same extent, the smiles were wiped away. Nodding curtly at Owain, Arthur grimaced at the nod he received in response. He had been hoping not to have to put him through anything more regarding the sorceress. Fate, it seemed had other ideas.

"We head towards the kitchens, searching and sealing off the house as we go. Endred, Merlin, stay here." Seeing Merlin begin to open his mouth in protest, Arthur invented a reason quickly, knowing he had to persuade the stubborn boy he was helping whilst keeping him out of harm's way. "She may slip past us. I need someone on this side of the house in case she gets here."

Nodding his understanding, Endred's eyes flickered momentarily over to Merlin, a clear indication to the prince that the man knew what he was really doing. Catching Owain's eye, Arthur nodded again, a clear signal that it was time for them to move.

Wrenching open the door, the prince stepped cautiously into the corridor. Just before Owain could follow him out, the door slammed shut again, and no amount of force on either side could force it open again.

"Sire! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Owain, and I'm going to find her!" For a moment, there was silence, making Arthur frown in confusion. When Owain eventually spoke, however, his confident tone the knight normally possessed was missing. There could be no denying it, Owain sounded scared.

"No need, Arthur. She's here."


	15. Chapter 15

**Again, thank you so much for everyone's support with this, can't put into words how much it means**

**Not much more to go, have to admit! Hope you like this next chapter!**

Morgause strode impressively down the corridor; both her dress and hair flowing gracefully behind her, making her look every bit as powerful as she was. And at this moment in time, she couldn't help but radiating a sense of smugness. It had been a setback that the Knights had escaped, but what she had planned for Camelot would soon make up for that. She had Merlin, and the fact the boy didn't know who he was worked even better. Whilst she didn't have as much time as she hoped – Pulchra was supposed to be leading Arthur away, not closer - she still had enough time to carry out the end of her plan. For if Merlin had no idea who he was, she could inflence him. No, more than that, she could shape him, give him an identity and purpose that suited her own, let Arthur find him and then give him the order to strike. The prince wouldn't know what hit him when his own servant was caught smuggling secrets, weapons, whatever else she might need out of the palace. Indeed, it would certainly turn the suspicion away from Morgana when the time came to put that part of the plan into action.

Turning into the corridor leading to the room where she had locked the servant, Morgause, paused, her step faltering mid air as she caught sight of the deserted corridor. She had expressively ordered the men to keep an eye on Merlin at all times. He may not know who he was, but that doesn't mean he was any less of a threat. She needed him in order for this plan to work, she _needed _to bring down Arthur and his servant was the key to that. Setting off again, Morgause's stride was a lot slower this time, the feeling of uncertainty growing as she approached the door. Almost expecting it by the time she got there, Morgause growled in frustration, for the door was wide open. Preparing to let lose a blast of magic in order to vent out her anger, she was stopped by a well-loved voice from behind her.

"Sister?"

Spinning on the spot, Morgause forced her face to relax; creating a neutral expression that she wasn't sure whether Morgana could see through or not. It would do no good if her sister found out how far she was willing to go to destroy Arthur. Whilst she trusted her sister implicitly when it came to removing Uther, she wasn't yet sure how far she could push her in terms of Arthur. That would have to wait until they were once more reunited.

"Morgana. What are you doing down here, sister?

"I came to see you. I hadn't seen you for a few days because of all the Knights being here..."

"And Merlin." Morgause cut in softly, knowing full well Morgana was not going to mention the servant. Immediately, her back straightened, her head lifted as anger sparked back into life. Smugly, Morgause hid her smirk. She knew whatever doubts Morgana was having; they could easily be resolved by referring to her potential killer.

"And Merlin." Morgana repeated coldly, her eyes involuntarily flickering to the door where she knew the servant had been held. She had wandered how long it would take for Morgause to realise that he was missing. "Isn't he supposed-?"

Her voice trailing off, Morgana's question hung mid-air between the two sisters, Morgause glancing back towards the door, her eyes narrowing again.

"How can I take away his memory and he still manages to escape?"

"Well, I'm sure he hasn't got far," Morgana comforted, the lie slipping easily onto her lips. She hated having to lie to Morgause, knowing full well that when they staged her return, she would be lying to anyone and everyone from then on. She wanted to be open to the woman who had given her a new life, a purpose rather than just being scared. However, Morgause couldn't know that Morgana had had a debt to settle with Merlin. There was no way she was going to return to Camelot feeling like she still owed him for the druids. As much as she hated him, as much as she wanted him to suffer in the way he had made her suffer, she knew that he had been trying his best. After all, what did he know about magic? He could have just as easily gone straight to Arthur after she had confided in him.

"Sister?" Brought out of her musings by a soft touch to her cheek, Morgana clasped Morgause's hand in her own.

"You better find him. Who knows who he will stumble across?"

"Relax, sister. He can't have gone far, I have my methods for finding him." And with those words, Morgause took Morgana by the hand and lead her from the darkened corridor, knowing it would only be a matter of mere moments until she found out where the servant had managed to get to this time. She wasn't particularly worried, he, after all, had no idea where he was, but she was concerned about Arthur. There would be no telling where Pulchra would lead him too, and if the prince and servant were united before her plans were put into action, it would be yet another setback. It wasn't supposed to be this hard to weaken Camelot, and yet every direction she turned in, she was being thwarted by a mere servant.

MMMMMM

Nancy bustled around the kitchen, not noticing the lower servants duck out of the way as she cluttered passed, pots and pans filling her arms. She was loved by all, but they knew when the head housekeeper got it into her mind to do something, nothing on the earth would be able to stop her, even the master. And this time, she had decided that it was up to her personally to cook up a feast for the visiting prince. And so the kitchens at Endred Manor had turned into something that slightly resembled a war zone and had people scurrying for cover.

The noise in the kitchen, however, proved to be something that the majority of the staff would later come to regret. Among the banging of the pans, no one heard the guards patrolling outside yell out for reinforcements, something that was swiftly silenced. Nor did they hear the door to the main house being flung open with such a force that it was torn off its hinges and sent skidding across the hallway beyond, taking an unfortunate servant with it. They didn't even hear the door to the kitchen being torn off either.

In fact, they noticed nothing at all until a sudden burst of unnatural wind swept through the kitchen, flinging pots and servants alike. By holding onto the wooden table as hard as she could, Nancy was spared the unpleasant flight, letting go only when the wind had dropped and she deemed it safe to scurry to the side of a young girl who had fallen just in front of her. No sooner had she let go of the table, however, when a strong hand grasped the back of her collar, spinning her around to face the intruder and causing her to blink in surprise.

Instead of the ferocious army she had been expecting, there was just a single woman. Striking, with eyes that seem to see into Nancy's very soul, Morgause could make an imposing figure when she wanted too. Nancy, however, had coped with helping raise troublesome princes and over confident lords. One woman was not going to put her off.

"Well, now, ducky, all you had to do was knock. No need for all of this showing off, it is unhealthy in a woman."

"Silence, servant. Where is the boy?" The sorceress spat, sparks almost literally flying from her eyes.

"Rudeness won't get you anywhere," Nancy responded coolly, smoothing out the invisible creases in her dress. She didn't accept this sort of attitude from Endred, despite the fact he was now a grown man and her master, she certainly wasn't going to accept it from a stranger in this manner. "Besides, we have many boys here. You'll have to be more specific than that."

With a flash of her eyes, Morgause sent Nancy onto her knees, the older woman gasping in protest as her knees hit the floor hard.

"You know precisely who I mean. Don't play games with me, servant, you may regret it."

Before Nancy could think of an answer that would send the witch away and lead her no closer to Evan – the poor boy had obviously suffered enough – raised voices could be heard filtering through the house, making her shut her eyes in dismay at the gloating look on Morgause's face. She had always told Arthur that his temper was one day going to get the better of him and land him in trouble, and it looked like today might just possibly be that day. It only took one glance at Morgause to know that she knew the relationship between Evan and Arthur, whatever it was. It meant she had found him. Throwing Nancy away from herself as hard as she could, Morgause whipped her head upwards, muttering under her breath as she did so. With a sudden flash of her eyes, she promptly disappeared into thin air.

"No!" Nancy yelled out in frustration, already beginning to move towards her fallen maids. It was her job to make sure that the manor ran smoothly, and having a sorceress come barging in like that with plans to clearly upset everyone inside was not the way she liked things to be done. If Merlin had taken refuge anywhere else, Morgause would have had him back under her control in an instant. However, getting on the wrong side of Nancy meant she now had her work cut out for her. No one upset the maids and serving staff of Endred Manor and escaped the wrath of Nancy.

MMMMM

Frowning in confusion, Merlin watched helplessly as Owain alternated between throwing himself at the door and trying to pull it open. He wandered if he should perhaps offer to help, the only thing holding him back was the mysterious warnings the man had been trying to send to him about not revealing his magic. It was strange, he didn't even know who this man was, had no idea whether he was supposed to trust him or not, and yet found himself doing just that, following his lead almost without a second's thought. But what was puzzling the secret warlock even further was that he had this same feeling of trust, even to a greater extent, with the other man, and yet he knew without having to think about it that he did not know about his gifts. And that he could never find out, for reasons the confused boy could not say, it would have far deadlier consequences. And judging by the cold feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he thought about it, deadlier being the right word.

And then there was Endred, flapping about Owain, radiating the sense of him hating how old he had become. Merlin had never considering Endred old at all during their brief encounter, but watching him worry now about the fact there was nothing he could do to reunite the small group inside the room with the prince stuck on the outside, that was exactly what he was. There was something about him that Merlin couldn't quite figure out, almost a feeling telling him that Endred wouldn't mind the fact that he had magic, wouldn't blame him for it. Before Merlin could come to any decision about what he should do, however, the old man was suddenly sent flying across the room, a startled yelp just managing to cross his lips.

Knowing that Owain already knew his secret and Endred wouldn't notice, Merlin allowed instinct take over. As soon as Endred's flight had begun, the magic within the young warlock had roared into life, ready to come to his defence and protect not only himself, but those around him. How he was supposed to do that without half of them noticing, Merlin had no idea, but he knew that was what his magic was for. In that one split second, it was as if everything had been made clear. He may not know who he was, but he had a gift, and the people around him were in danger, something he could help with. Allowing the magic a free reign, he couldn't stop his eyebrows raising in astonishment as time itself almost seemed to slow down. He could see Endred about to hit the wall, see Owain fruitlessly tugging on the handle, his head swivelling to watch the Lord's flight. And yet, there was something else. Something Merlin knew for a fact had not been there the second before.

In the middle of the room, so faint the warlock was sure that the ordinary eye would not be able to see it, a mist was forming. It was only just visible to even Merlin, to the extent that he was not sure whether he was truly seeing it or not. He might have perhaps doubted its existence - after all, how would he know considering everything he had been through? – if it wasn't for the tingling feeling that almost seemed to start in his toes and work its way up his body. Whatever this was that was coming, it was not good, and Merlin knew he only had seconds in which to act if he was to mange to get not only himself, but everyone in the area out of this alive.

Flashing his eyes once more, Merlin brought Endred down gently onto the floor, saving him from a collision with the wall so gracefully that he was momentarily stunned by just how much control he seemed to have already regained over his magic. Only days ago he didn't even know he had it. Just as the thought flickered across his mind though, Merlin felt his concentration slip, and just before it happened, he knew time was about to resume itself.

"Owain!" Yelling the warning at exactly the same time as the Knight resumed moving, Merlin knew immediately by the way the man's head whipped around that he had heard the slight plead in Merlin's tone. He didn't know what they were about to fight, and although he had great ideas about protecting his friends, at the end of the day, he was not yet sure what it was precisely that he could do.

"Get back to the door, Merlin!" Owain yelled, spinning on the spot and tightening his grip on his drawn sword, his eyes fixed on the spot Merlin knew the mist was emerging from. Without a delay, Merlin sprinted across the room and over to the door, feeling slightly more comfortable about having the large bulk of a man and his sword in between him and the mist. His eyes flickering over to where Endred lay in a still heap, Merlin found himself chewing on his bottom lip in anxiety. The old man didn't have the same protection of the knight where he had fallen, he was more than exposed than whatever it was that was emerging.

"Merlin?" Owain muttered quietly, his eyes never leaving the form that was slowly beginning to be revealed within the mist. "Get the door open. But do not let Arthur see you do it."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Merlin whispered back, a slightly indignant tone infiltrating his voice. He may have been able to control his magic to a certain degree, but he had no clue as to any spell, no idea how to properly direct it, it just seemed to appear whenever he needed it.

"You'll think of something. Merlin…,"pausing momentarily from where he had been steadily advancing on the mist, Owain looked back over his shoulder, a strange light coming into his eyes. "You're powerful. You can do this. But we, we can't do it without you. Look inside yourself, remember who you are."

Blinking in astonishment at the speech, Merlin merely stared at the man for a few seconds. Self conscious, Owian suddenly cleared his throat, turning his back on the warlock almost in a way that meant he could deny any knowledge for what he had just ordered the boy to do.

Interpreting Owain's actions correctly, Merlin couldn't help but smirk to himself. This man knew him better than he knew himself, obviously, and was clearly someone that he had trusted, for why else would he so blatantly give him permission to use the very thing that he had spent the whole of their encounter warning him not to do. Turning back towards the door, Merlin felt as if sound had been muted. Time seemed to stand still, and yet this time it was nothing to do with him as he focused his attention on the door in front of him. Shutting his eyes in the hope that would somehow give him a better understanding of whatever it was that was inside him, Merlin then breathed in deeply through his nose, holding his breath as he felt the magic begin to react to the commands his mind was all but shouting. Feeling a sudden build in pressure, Merlin snapped his eyes open once more.

His hand stretching out in front of him in the same way it had done earlier that day, Merlin knew without having to look that his eyes were burning. He could feel it, feel the rush of power as it sprung to his hand, whispering a foreign word softly so that only he could hear it, yet it rolled effortlessly off his tongue as if he could have shouted it as loud as he could without stumbling or faltering.

Immediately, the door came springing back towards him, giving him just about enough time to dive out of the way before Arthur came charging through, looking furious. Thankfully, Merlin's dive for safety so that he was not hit by the flying wood meant that when the prince's eyes finally fell on him, it looked as if he was trying to keep out of the way and not draw attention to himself rather than being the one who was responsible for opening the magically sealed door. Fleetingly, Merlin wondered whether Owain had put him in that particular position by the door on purpose, as if he would have known what would happen. Locking eyes with Arthur, Merlin managed to offer a small smile of confidence as the prince nodded curtly at him, before moving forward to stand side by side with Owain, both of them holding their swords steadily in front of them. Finally looking back towards the mist for the first time since seeing it, Merlin couldn't help but gasp.

Standing in the centre of the mist, there could be no denying that this was no magical or spectacular creature coming to eat them all, but a mere woman. However, Merlin knew the second he laid eyes on her that did not mean she wasn't powerful, and judging by the way her eyes were blazing with a combination of magic and anger, he knew it was not good that she was clearly after them. Not knowing who, or what, she wanted, the warlock instead opted for shrinking further back into the corner, allowing him to separate himself off from the rest of the group some more and so gain better access to his magic.

"What do you want, Morgause? Haven't you done enough damage already?"

"Now, now, Prince Arthur. There is no need for a tone like that. I merely came to collect what is mine."

"Is that right?" Arthur asked coldly. Distracted from trying to control his magic by the exchange going on in front of him, Merlin couldn't help but feel the utmost respect for how calm and in control the prince was sounding. From his position behind them, however, Merlin could see that it was just an act. Whilst one hand may have been holding the sword steady, the other was clenched into a fist behind Arthur's back, clearly him trying not to show the fact that it was trembling slightly. Somehow, despite knowing very little about the blond man in front of him, Merlin knew automatically it would not be a good idea to point this sign of uncertainty out.

"And what, tell us, is possible here that belongs to you?"

"Many things, Arthur," Morgause responded, her voice far colder than his. In fact, it almost send shudders down Merlin's spine, but somehow he knew that wasn't because of the venom practically dripping from every word she spoke. It was more to do with the fact that the mist was once more trying to descend in his mind, a clear indicator that he obviously knew this person. And it wasn't only Arthur that was shaking. Glancing down at his own hands, Merlin was surprised to say the least when they gave an involuntary shudder. How could he be scared of something he didn't know what it was? Forcing himself to look away from the pair now trading insults, Merlin desperately tried to make the mist reside again, knowing he was no good at helping to protect them if it had knocked him out.

"For one, you seemed to have stolen my servant," Morgause continued, her eyes flickering towards the ceiling. Before any of them could react, her hand shot out and a beam of light sprung from her fingertips. Immediately, a blue web of sorts encased the small creature that had still been buzzing in concern around the ceiling, and with a wail of distress, Pulchra was brought crashing back down to the floor, seemingly unable to move. Watching him in concern, it suddenly struck Arthur that this was the first time he had seen the creature not move at all, it was always buzzing around in some way, even when trapped in the water skin.

"He has done nothing to you, let him go." The prince ordered, authority ringing out of his voice. For one so young, Arthur could already sound like the King he was one day going to become. Morgause, however, did not look as impressed as Merlin was feeling.

"He betrayed me. You can't honestly tell me, Arthur Pendragon, that you would let someone who had betrayed you just go free without being punished for what they had done? Besides, it wasn't only _my_ servant for whom I came."

"Leave him alone," Arthur growled, somewhat protectively as he stepped between Merlin and Morgause. He had seen out of the corner of his eye the way his servant had stiffened when Morgause had arrived, knew that if nothing else, he recognized enough of her to warrant the same reaction that had overcome him when he had first laid eyes on the prince himself. And much as he didn't want to admit it, let alone show it in front of Morgause, Arthur was worried. The last time Merlin had been struck by the familiar, he had fallen unconscious. It was going to be hard to get the idiot to protect himself if he was out cold.

"Why should I do that?" Morgause asked, her voice deadly quiet as she took a threatening step towards the servant.

"Why shouldn't you? Why are you so determined to take Merlin, he is just an idiotic servant?" Despite Arthur's cruel words, even Merlin - who by this point was fighting against himself and the mist threatening to overwhelm him with all of his might - could hear the fondness in the tone. Glancing at Arthur, Morgause found that she was being forced to weigh up her options here. On one hand, she could do what she had always planned, use the knowledge that Merlin had poisoned Morgana against Arthur, but considering the defensive stance the young prince was in, not to mention the way his eyes were glistening dangerously, she knew it wouldn't have the desired effect. He wouldn't believe her and Merlin wouldn't be able to remember in order to look guilty. On the other hand, she could take Merlin back with her, make him finish paying for what he had done to Morgana, but lose the opportunity to use him against Arthur.

Owain, however, got there first. Whilst he knew that Morgause didn't know about Merlin's gifts, her questioning of them when he was her prisoner had made that much clear, he knew the types of things she had planned for the servant, he had seen firsthand what she had already put him through. And whilst he was alive, it was his duty to protect the Prince of Camelot. Owain knew that if Morgause was to take Merlin again, Arthur would be shattered, the trip had already cost him too much. So for Arthur to be saved, Owain knew he had to protect Merlin.

Stepping in between Morgause and Arthur, Owain chose to ignore Arthur's hiss for him to stand aside. Locking eyes with the sorceress, Owain twirled his sword from hand to hand, his eyes never leaving hers.

"And so the great knight of Camelot chooses death. And I thought you were supposed to be brave, not suicidal."

"Morgause, don't you dare!" Arthur yelled, frantically trying to move in between the pair, but found that every time he made to move forward, Owain blocked him. "Owain, move, she'll kill you!"

"Get out whilst you can, Sire. Take Merlin and go, I'll hold her off."

"Don't be so stupid, you won't last five seconds. I'm not leaving here without you."

"Enough!" Morgause suddenly yelled, a fierce grin spreading across her face. Maybe she could break Arthur after all. For if he was to see his Knight and one of his oldest friends perish before his eyes, surely he wouldn't be able to act rationally. Morgana had told Morgause all she knew about Endred, which unfortunately had been very little as she hadn't arrived in Camelot until he had retired to the country and Arthur's trips had been less frequent, but she knew enough to know that Arthur held him in high esteem, perhaps even on the same level as his father.

Her hand outstretched in front of her, Morgause reveled in the moment where the whole room seemed to suck in their breath. There was a desperation on Arthur's face as he tried to get in between the two of them once more, a confused fright on Merlin's that she was already forming plans of how to replace it with another expression much more to her liking and an acceptance on Owain's. It was as if he knew his time was up, and that this final act would be a way of buying Arthur more time to work out how to defeat her and Merlin more of a chance to remember who he was. What was annoying Morgause even more was that the way the Knight was facing his death made her almost respect him.

Just as she opened her mouth, however, the door burst open violently, causing both Arthur and Owain to jump around in surprise and for Merlin to once again scramble backwards to avoid being hit. All three of them felt their jaws drop at the sight in the doorframe. A heavy frying pan in one hand and a broom in the other, Nancy looked rather more terrifying than Morgause could ever manage.

Striding into the room, the head maid almost seemed to ignore everyone else in the room, her eyes locked in Morgause, sparks almost flying. Despite not being afraid of anything, Morgause felt her skin crawl uncomfortably. There was something in that look, something that reminded her of the way a mother might scold a child, and it was not a feeling that she was comfortable with, it reminded her too much of what she had lost.

"Nancy, get out of here!" Arthur hissed, his mind beginning to function enough to once more form a sentence. He had never seen anything like it, it had almost sent the prince into shock. He was so sure that that was the moment where he was going to lose Owain forever, and now _this? _ Turning her eyes onto the prince, Nancy didn't have time to open her mouth (something which proved just how quick Morgause could be when she wanted) when the rug under her feet was suddenly jerked away, causing the maid to fall with a yell and a horrendous crash. Both Owain and Merlin scurried over to help her, but Arthur turned his attention back to Morgause.

"Leave now. Don't think of hurting anyone else. More Knights are on the way, you'll never escape alive. Come quietly and you will have a fair trial."

"Lying really isn't your strong point, Arthur. I know for a fact you are alone, and what you say is a fair trial is certain death where your father is involved."

Wracking his brains for something he could use as a comeback that would mean Morgause would at least spare his friends, Arthur didn't hear the strange crackling sound coming from by his feet until a sudden shock wave of energy made him jump backwards in surprise. When she had fallen, Nancy had caught her foot on the web surrounding Pulchra and the little creature's magic was strong enough that he was able to overcome the spell and break himself free.

Arthur's delight, however, soon turned to despair when he realized where Pulchra was heading.

"Pulchra, no!"

But his call went unheeded, for once more, Pulchra was spinning across the room at an alarming rate, heading straight for Merlin, who, just as always, didn't see anything coming, he was too busy trying to help Nancy to her feet. He didn't acknowledge Arthur's shout, didn't see Pulchra heading directly towards him. In fact, Merlin didn't notice a thing until he was suddenly thrown off his feet, skidding across the floor and hitting the opposite wall, all the breath driven out of him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you soo so much for all of you who have stuck with this so far. Only one more chapter to go after this one! Hope you like this chapter, and please don't forget to let me know what you think!**

**Another huge thank you to MerlinStar for beta-ing this for me, she truly is a star!**

Panting, Merlin lay winded for a moment, trying to work out what on earth had happened. He hadn't even seen anything coming; one moment he had been helping Nancy, the next, he was halfway across the room.

"Pulchra, don't do this!" Hearing Arthur's yell, Merlin lifted his head up, resisting the urge to shut his eyes as the room spun somewhat alarmingly as he forced himself back to his feet. Arthur was struggling hard against something invisible, and judging by the way the witch had one hand pointed at the prince and the other at Owain, Merlin knew she was responsible for their lack of movement. But if Morgause was preventing them from reaching him, did that mean the creature that had caused his abrupt flight was working for her? Merlin was sure he had seen it in the company of the prince, felt the trust Arthur seemed to have developed for the thing. So why did Morgause not seem interested?

"Finish your task, Pulchra." Morgause's voice was cold and detached, instantly sending shivers down Merlin's spine as he attempted to stand up straighter. There were strange lights flickering behind his eyes, almost as if it was trying to show him something, trying to reveal some form of memory. Attempting to focus on it, Merlin found his attention somewhat distracted by Arthur once more yelling at the creature. Snapping his head up, Merlin involuntarily stumbled back a step when he caught sight of something vivid and blue hovering just below his eye line, but stopped at that. There didn't seem to be anything threatening about this Pulchra. It was almost as if he was waiting for Merlin's permission to do something.

Wondering what on earth was going on, Merlin swallowed rather nervously as his eyes scanned the occupants of the room. When they fell on Arthur, however, it was almost as if the lights intensified, a picture coming closer to being revealed than before, yet not quite there. And with the sudden realization of what this creature had done and what it wanted to do, Merlin nodded, sinking back down the wall so that he was crouched. He suspected he would need to brace himself for this.

"Pulchra, please! I'm begging you, leave him alone!" Judging by Owain's surprised intake of breath, Merlin knew instantly and without reason that for the prince to sound this desperate, he must have been through a lot. Knowing now was the time, Merlin closed his eyes, preparing himself to remember what was about to come.

"Pulchra, no!" This time, however, the scream was not from Arthur, but from Morgause as she realized what was happening. Her hand spun suddenly around from Arthur, causing him to stumble forwards as his balance was suddenly restored, but the light she shot at Pulchra was just a second too late. He had already come into contact with Merlin.

With a sudden gasp, Merlin's eyes flew open, and he knew by Arthur's intake of breath that they were no longer their normal blue, but burning gold, fierce and powerful. He had other things to worry about though. Images were flickering across his mind's eye at a faster rate than he could comprehend, making him wince and clutch his head, the pressure building as they came in quicker succession. He saw himself as a young boy, a wooden toy floating around his head whilst he gurgled happily up at his mother. Then he was older, looking away from his mother in shame as she scolded him for using his magic so casually in public. Again, it changed and he was now arriving in Camelot, all of his adventures with Arthur and wanting the prat to really see who he was overwhelming him as they flickered on. Then the images became darker, a feeling of cold settling over the warlock as he witnessed the fight for Camelot, being forced to poison Morgana, his father dying in his arms, and yet not being able to tell his best friend why he was so upset at the loss of the dragonlord. This never ending quest, the knights, everything they had been through. Squeezing his eyes shut with a groan, Merlin found that he was watching himself being tortured by the same witch that was in the room with him now, watching as she goaded him, the attempted escape only to result in recapture. And then the images faded, letting him release an explosion of breath as his eyes once more faded to blue. Everything from then on, he knew.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly, his voice hesitant, and if Merlin didn't know any better, he would say that it was trembling. Climbing to his feet, Merlin fixed his gaze on Morgause, smirking in triumph as she took a hesitant step back, no longer sure.

"I'm back." And with that simple statement, Merlin reached down and in one fluid movement, caught up Endred's sword and threw it over to Arthur, who caught it with a grin, his own weapon uselessly on the other side of the room.

Walking slowly forward, Merlin came to a stop by Arthur's side, the two of them facing against Morgause, who was somehow still managing to pin Owain in place, although fury and concentration were burning with equal intensity in her eyes. Judging by the way her eyes were flickering between the pair of them, Merlin could tell that she was torn on who she wanted the most, knowing she would not have time to take them both.

"Merlin?" Arthur hissed almost silently under his breath, but his servant still turned his head ever so slightly towards his master, eyebrows raised in anticipation of whatever it was that Arthur was about to say.

"Yes, Arthur?" the warlock whispered back, sarcasm laced into his tone and making Arthur smirk. The old Merlin was indeed back, and the prince couldn't put into words the rush of relief that had given him.

"Good to see you." Before Merlin could contemplate the randomness of Arthur's words, the prince threw himself forwards at Morgause, sword held with perfection as he charged at the enchantress. The concentration flared to life in her eyes once more, and with a golden flash, Arthur was sent sprawling. Before Merlin could so much as blink, however, the prince was back up, once more running at her, only to once again be met by an invisible barrier that was holding him back. His frustration beginning to make his actions more and more desperate, Merlin didn't know what he should do as he watched Arthur's struggle against Morgause.

Normally, he knew within an instant that he would have worked some subtle magic to remove the barrier, but Arthur seemed to be finding the challenge a way of venting his frustration at what she had put his men through. It meant he got to slash and stab at her, something the prince was thankful for. She deserved to pay for what she had done to the knights, what she had done to Merlin. And who knows, if he kept this up for long enough, he might break through her defences and find out what she had done to Morgana as well. Kill three birds with one stone, so to speak.

Unfortunately, Morgause was not going to give him the chance to break through her barrier. Watching Arthur coolly as he once more charged at her, she sharply flicked her wrist, and the hairs on the back of Merlin's neck stood up. An unearthly wind sprung from her hand, spiraling out towards the prince and blasted Arthur off his feet and across the room, only to crash into the wall on the far side and sink down it, unconscious.

"That was a mistake," Merlin observed calmly, ignoring the instinct to go rushing to Arthur's side to make sure he was alright. For to check on the prince, that would mean turning his back on Morgause at some point, something he was not prepared to do. He knew the cost of underestimating her, and it was not something he was prepared to go through again.

"You'd know about mistakes, wouldn't you, Merlin?" Morgause spat, her voice cold, her eyes deadly. This wasn't supposed to be happening. She was supposed to have just found the confused boy, spirited him back to the castle and waited for an angry Arthur to show up before destroying them both. Instead, Pulchra had betrayed her once again, meaning not only had her plan failed, but any attempt to break Merlin was gone too; his defiance had more than returned with his identity.

"You have one chance, Morgause. Leave now."

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Sensing Merlin's hesitation, Morgause smirked, drawing her still outstretched hand into her before slamming it back out again, causing Owain to go shooting backwards. He hit the wall hard and slipped down it, as motionless as his master.

"What was that for?" Merlin couldn't help but cry, wincing in sympathy for the two men sprawled across the floor, not to mention growing concern for the fact Endred had yet to stir. "He was defenseless, you didn't have to hurt him."

"Morgana was defenseless, Merlin. That didn't stop you poisoning her…"

"Stop it."

"Didn't stop you listening to her gasping breaths as she struggled to breathe…"

"I said _stop it_."

"Didn't stop you bartering her life as if she were not important."

"Stop it!" Merlin eventually yelled, his breathing quick and shallow. Whilst he ridiculed Morgause for not seeing past her revenge, the warlock had to admit that the witch knew precisely what to say to make him feel small and insignificant again. She hadn't realised the torment it had put him through to see one of his closest friends like that, to be the one who had to do it. And yet, much as it killed him, he knew he would do it again in an instant if it meant saving Camelot.

"It was your fault, not mine. You turned her against us; you made her the vessel for the spell. I had to stop it. I had to save the rest of Camelot."

"Very good, Merlin, so you worked out who was the vessel. That isn't going to stop my revenge."

"Oh some things never change," Merlin couldn't help but moan, rolling his eyes and casting a glance over at the still prince. Just before he turned back, something caught his eye, the light reflecting off from the sword still resting in Arthur's hand. Before Morgause could so much as blink, he had shot across the room, grasped the sword and spun back to face her, holding it unsteadily in front of him. As her eyebrows rose in astonishment and, if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, amusement, Merlin narrowed his eyes. He knew how foolish he must look, but the sorceress had no idea the sword was all for show, he just needed a distraction.

"Are you going to kill me, Merlin?"

"You were going to kill me."

"No I wasn't. Break you, yes. Torture you, definitely. But kill you? Where is the fun in that?"

"You make me sick," Merlin snarled, pretending to lunge forward. If it wasn't for the fact he knew the attack would never work due to the fact Morgause had magic, Merlin couldn't help but wonder for the smallest of moments whether Arthur would have been proud of that lunge – his aim had certainly been spot on for once. Unfortunately, as Merlin had predicted, Morgause wasn't going to let him see how good it had truly been. With one sharp command and a flash of her eyes, the sword was wrenched out of Merlin's hand and thrown across the room, clattering harmlessly to the floor on the other side of the bed. Unable to hide his grin, Merlin dived after it.

Crouching behind the bed, Merlin made no attempt to pick the sword up again. He had no need now; he had achieved his aim, getting out of Morgause's eye line. This was the chance he had been waiting for all the time he was her prisoner, the chance to defend himself without the costs of that being far greater than even he could comprehend.

"Do you give up, Merlin? Do you want it to stop?"

"Why don't you just kill me and be done with it?" Merlin snapped back, his voice sounding distant to himself as he prepared to do magic. He knew this had to be convincing, knew he had to make Morgause doubt her own magic and therefore not cast the suspicion on him. But he also knew that for that to happen, she first had to use it.

"_Redimio_," Morgause suddenly snarled, the words slipping off her tongue effortlessly. Despite all of his pretence, Merlin found that his gasp as he was slammed backwards against the bed was real. Try as he might, he could not pull free from it. But what was worse was the knowledge he could not use this spell against Morgause, it had to be something physical. Allowing himself to remain pinned so she had no reason to round the bed, Merlin was mentally skimming through his magic book, trying to allow his mind to fill with any spell he might need. The plan may work in theory, but he didn't know what kind of spell Morgause was going to use against him. He was not sure that she was even going to use a spell, meaning he would have to act fast.

"_Ardeo_."Almost nodding his understanding, Merlin shut his eyes, feeling the heat from the fire she had conjured. But as he focused his mind, it was more than that. It was almost as if he could see the tall tower flaming its way towards where he was supposedly stuck, Morgause standing behind it, her hand outstretched as she guided the fire, her eyes burning just as brightly.

"_Ostendo_,"Merlin whispered under his breath, so quietly that he himself barely heard it. He felt it though; the surges of magic exploding from his body, the adrenaline making him feel every bit as powerful as he was destined to become. Merlin couldn't stop the smile of relief crossing his face as he felt his spell take hold, slowly forcing the flame back towards Morgause. Her face twisted into confusion, Morgause attempted to force the flame back his way, but this time, Merlin was no mere servant. This time, he was fulfilling his destiny, and with an added flash of his eyes, he once more reversed the direction. With a startled scream, Morgause was forced to dive out of the way as the fire sped towards her, only just muttering the counter curse in time to stop herself being burnt. As soon as she lost control, Merlin felt the spell pinning him to the bed also vanish, allowing him to rest back onto the floor, panting slightly.

"No." Hearing the quiet mutter, the warlock hefted the sword back into his hands and gingerly stood up, not quite sure what he was going to see. Morgause was sitting exactly where she had fallen, staring at her hands in something that could easily resemble horror. Seeing the movement out of the corner of her eye, her head snapped around as Merlin stood, but although her eyes were burning with loathing, the warlock knew his secret was safe. The only thing Morgause blamed for the turn of events was the loss of control of her own magic, something that she had never known to happen before and never wanted to experience again.

"I will have my revenge," she spat at the servant, causing Merlin to raise an eyebrow. She didn't like how confident and safe he was looking, he should have either been dead or a trembling wreck by now.

"I don't think so," a voice sounded coldly behind her, and before looking around, Morgause had seen Merlin's face light up enough to know what she was going to face. As she did turn, it was only to find herself face to face with a furious Arthur Pendragon, his own sword firmly back in his hand, although how he had managed that was beyond her. She was not to know that while she had been distracted, Merlin's eyes had – subtly this time – changed colour once again and caused the prince's sword to slither to within his reach. Now, however, Morgause was more worried about how close to her reach it was. Or more specifically, how close to her exposed neck the tip was.

"You will face justice for the harm you have caused not only my men, but to everyone you have made suffer."

"Will I, oh great prince?"

"Don't push me, Morgause; I've been through too much." His voice stating the simple fact, Morgause narrowed her eyes at him, his quiet tone reflecting his words. There was no way Arthur was going to put up with any more, and so she had to take action now, and fast. With a sudden twirl that Arthur found his eyes could not follow, Morgause whirled away from the prince, and as he automatically brought his sword into a more defensive position, found it clashing with hers. Unable to stop himself, Arthur couldn't help feeling a moment of concern flicker across his mind as he slowly began trading blows with the sorceress. The last time he had fought Morgause, he had lost.

Seeing the look cross fleetingly over Arthur's face, Merlin crept forward, stealthily climbing over the bed in a way he did not know he was able to. By the time he had slithered down the other side again, it was apparent Arthur's concerns were not for nothing, as Morgause was quite clearly pressing the advantage. If he was honest, Merlin wasn't surprised. Morgause had managed to defeat Arthur in a fair fight, and yet this one was anything but fair. Arthur looked more than exhausted and although it was only slightly, Merlin could tell that he was favouring one leg.

As the two swords smashed together furiously, Merlin found himself torn as to what to do. Morgause was clearly winning, but he couldn't risk interfering, not when they were that close to each other and moving at such speeds. The chances are he would hit Arthur instead. His decision, however, was made up for him as with a sudden movement, Arthur found himself flat on his back, the tip of Morgause's sword once more resting on his neck. Breathing heavily, Arthur glared up at her the best he could manage.

"You really thought you would be able to stop me? Goodbye, Arthur Pendragon." And with those words, Morgause lifted her sword into the air, drawing her hand back as she did so. Even Merlin, who, as Arthur frequently pointed out, had no skill with the sword, knew precisely what she was about to do. Arthur tried to scramble backwards out of the way, but he didn't have enough room. Locking eyes with Merlin, Arthur let a small smile cross his lips, a goodbye that he knew Merlin would receive. His servant, however, just shook his head furiously.

His attention once more drawn by the now descending sword, Arthur didn't see the movement until it was too late, but the next thing he knew, Morgause had been bowled over, both her and Merlin hitting the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"Merlin!"

"You didn't think I'd actually let her kill you, do you?" Merlin responded cheekily, trying to suppress his groan as he attempted to find his feet. Morgause, however, had her senses return to her a lot quicker, and before Merlin knew what was happening, she had sprung to her feet, pulling him into a kneeling position and placing her dagger across his throat.

"Leave him alone," Arthur snarled, finding his feet himself and trying not to show that he was scared. In this position, there was practically nothing he could do; any movements he tried would simply have Morgause kill Merlin.

"No," Morgause responded bluntly, tightening her grip and pressing the dagger even closer to his throat. "He is coming with me."

"Why?" Arthur cried, trying to find some time for Merlin, yet at the same time, honestly curious about why she was going through so much just to capture his servant. This was _Merlin_ they were talking about, the idiot that couldn't even get to work on time. What on earth was so special about him?

"Let's just say he insulted me." At Morgause's words, Arthur didn't quite know what to make of the grin that suddenly spread over Merlin's face, the old cheeky look that had been missing for so long firmly back in place. Suddenly, Arthur found himself grinning. Typical Merlin. He was never going to change. Put him in the most dangerous of situations and he still had comments to make. It looked like Morgause had just discovered how hard it was to shut the talkative servant up.

"He insulted you?" Arthur asked, his tone so light that it bordered on mocking. He knew it was a risk, but he had seen the look in Merlin's eye. The boy was planning something, and the least Arthur could do was help distract the witch holding him. He had failed his servant one too many times on this quest, it was not going to happen again. "So a mere servant has the capability to get under your skin. Wow, Morgause, you must be slipping. I thought you would be above it."

"Silence," Morgause hissed, pulling Merlin into a more upright position and pressing the edge of her knife ever closer to his neck. Arthur obeyed, but one eyebrow smoothly rose and a touch of a smile ghosted the corners of his lips, a clear sign that he may be doing what she said, but he would mock her the whole way. He certainly wasn't going to mention how much Merlin's insults managed to crawl under his skin. Before he had time to contemplate what his next action was going to be – whilst he would never admit it, Arthur hadn't actually thought of a plan this time – Merlin suddenly moved.

Grasping Morgause's wrist, he somehow managed to twist her arm away from him, allowing him more movement as the knife was suddenly pointed harmlessly the other way. Without giving Morgause another chance to react, he pulled away from her hard, breaking her hold on him and allowing the servant to struggle to his feet. No sooner was he up when Arthur grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling Merlin towards him and allowing the momentum to carry the boy further, until Merlin was safely shielded behind the prince's sword.

"Not bad," Arthur muttered teasingly under his breath, "we'll make a knight of you yet." Hearing Merlin's small laugh, Arthur smirked, before turning his attention back to the sorceress that had put them through so much pain. Morgause, however, was waiting for him. As soon as Arthur turned back to her, she shot a spiral of deadly fire towards the prince, and coming at such a speed Arthur knew he didn't have a chance.

A cry of alarm escaping him, Merlin tried to shove Arthur out of the way, but the prince was either being stubborn or was in too much shock to be able to move, for the servant was not able to shift his bulky form. Knowing that if that wasn't going to work, he would simply have to use magic, Merlin stepped back, allowing his power to fill him up. If it meant being found out, then so be it, for he was not going to let Morgause hurt anyone else. Breathing in, Merlin slowly opened his eyes, sensing the gold begin to fill them. He hadn't managed to get very far, however, when a cry stopped him.

"No!" Hearing Morgause's yell, Merlin instantly let the magic reside, there could be no way she was reacting to _him_, as he hadn't done anything yet. Glancing around him in confusion, Merlin couldn't help but frown at the pillar of fire. Stumbling forward so that he was level with Arthur, Merlin gaped at the sight in front of him.

The fire almost seemed suspended, the column being closed in on itself, wrapping itself up into a smaller and smaller ball. Just before the ball disappeared, Merlin caught sight of something electric blue hovering before it, the magic pulsing around Pulchra's body as he repelled the spell. As the sides of the ball touched, it promptly disappeared into thin air, a burst of energy being let loose and, for about the third time in less than an hour, Arthur found himself being blasted off his feet.

Merlin landed closer to Pulchra than Arthur, and within seconds had scurried to the creature's side. The being was on the floor, and to Merlin's worry, the blue light around the small thing was fading quite rapidly. Whatever Pulchra had done in the past, despite the fact he had betrayed Merlin to Morgause, he had also helped the warlock regain his memories, not to mention having obviously just sacrificed himself to save them. Scooping him gently into his hands, Merlin felt the sorrow radiate from him at the sight of the creature cradled within.

"Why?" he asked quietly, sensing more than knowing that Morgause had disappeared and Arthur had sprung to the door and darted out into the corridor, just in case she decided to reappear there.

"Pulchra must protect Emrys," Pulchra responded, his voice growing fainter and fainter with every word that he spoke. "Emrys will make all like Pulchra free, Emrys has a… destiny…"

Feeling the body suddenly go limp, Merlin found himself biting his lip to stop the tears. This creature had not only risked everything by bringing Arthur here against his mistress's demands, he had died because he believed in Merlin's destiny. Barely even an hour ago, the warlock hadn't been aware that he had a destiny.

"She's gone," Arthur said shortly, his voice echoing his weariness as he strode back into the room, coming to a stop just behind Merlin.

"So has Pulchra," Merlin responded quietly, knowing his own voice sounded just as bad.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. He made a great sacrifice, and he will be remembered."

"By who?" Merlin couldn't help but ask, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. It wasn't Arthur he was angry at, but everything. They had lost so many on this quest, so much was risked, and for what? Morgause's revenge? Is that all life was about, getting equal?

"Your father forbids anything magical, we can't speak about Pulchra."

"He will be remembered by us. I swear to you, Merlin, his sacrifice will not go unnoticed. We _will_ find Morgana."

Before Merlin could respond, Owain suddenly sat up blearily, Endred beginning to stir at the same time. Rushing across the room to help his fallen men and friends, Arthur left Merlin sitting on the floor, Pulchra's body growing colder and colder in his hands. Watching him, Merlin couldn't stop a lone tear running down his cheek at the frustration of it all. It wasn't so much what he had been through that was bothering him, he would do it all over again if it meant keeping the Once and Future King safe, but for the loss of the men, what they had been through. As the last of Pulchra's light faded, Merlin gave a sudden shout of astonishment, causing Arthur to rush back over.

Peering over his manservant's shoulder, Arthur couldn't hold back his own surprised exclamation. It was almost as if Pulchra's body was growing, swelling in size. For a moment, it continued to grow, causing Merlin to place it carefully back on the floor, sliding further away from it in the process. Once the body had stopped growing, the electric blue light suddenly came back, growing brighter and brighter until both prince and servant were forced to shield their eyes. When they looked back a moment later, the body was gone.

"Well, that was… different," Arthur commented lightly, clapping Merlin on the shoulder before pulling him to his feet. For a moment, he just stayed there, one hand on Merlin's shoulder, half holding him up, half comforting him. As Arthur merely stared, Merlin found himself shifting uncomfortably.

"What?" he eventually asked, getting the feeling that Arthur was neither going to enlighten him, nor stop staring.

"Nothing." the prince responded, giving Merlin a gentle shove and walking past him to collapse into the chair. Making his own way across the room, Merlin perched himself on the edge of the bed, trying to ignore how tired he was feeling.

"So what do we do now, sire?" Owain asked, climbing properly to his feet, only to sag against the wall immediately, marvelling at how much energy and effort that one simple movement took.

"We spend the night here. Owain, I need you to ride for Camelot in the morning; we need to report to my father. Besides…" His voice dropping as he beckoned Owain closer, Arthur ignored Merlin's puzzled glance that was sent his way in between the yawns. Whispering the last part of his orders, Arthur caught sight of Owain's smile before he smoothly covered it up.

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Merlin, you should…" His voice trailing off, Arthur stood back up, smiling somewhat fondly at the sight in front of him. "Get some sleep."

But this time, Merlin had managed to carry out the prince's orders before he had even spoken them, falling backwards onto the bed, his legs still dangling over the side. He didn't feel Nancy shakily make her way across the room, didn't notice Arthur pull him further onto the bed, nor the maid tuck the covers around him. Having given up trying to hear Arthur's whispered conversation, Merlin had simply fallen asleep.

**Ta da! One more to go! Please review?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Well, here it is, the final chapter of Turning Back, and just in time for Christmas as well! I want to say a huge huge thank you for all of you who have followed this through, and especially those of you who have been reviewing and letting me know what you thought of this, even if all of them weren't positive! I cannot say how much it means to me! To be honest, I'm surprised I managed to write this at all, never having written and posted at the same time before, not to mention I've just survived my first term at university as well!**

**An extra big hug to MerlinStar, whose name is SO appropriate because she has been a complete star with taking over the beta-ing for this, thank you so so much!**

**Happy Christmas, everyone!**

Merlin slowly opened his eyes, shifting contentedly under the warmth of the covers. Only 24 hours ago, he had been waking up in the exact same position, but with no idea who he was. It scared him now quite what he could have done whilst being under the influence of the spell. It may have been a shock when Arthur had turned up, but Merlin couldn't help but wonder whether that had saved him. Not only from Morgause, but stopped him from using his magic in a way he normally refused. After all, he wouldn't have necessarily realised the damage he could have done with the magic feeling that alien to him.

Thinking about the prince, Merlin was unable to stop the smile spreading over his face when he caught sight of Arthur. Slouched in a chair, Arthur's feet were propped up on the bed, a goblet held loosely in his hands, yet his head was resting on his chest, rising and falling with his even breathing. Judging by the way he had changed his attire, Merlin knew he could not have been there for long, yet it was obviously enough for the prince to succumb to the lack of sleep he had put himself through over the last few days.

Wriggling his feet around a little more, Merlin had to bite back his laughter as Arthur jerked awake, feeling the sudden movement. The goblet clattered to the floor with a loud crash, causing the prince to jump to his feet with a yelp, only for his foot to catch on the leg of the chair and send him sprawling across the bed.

"Graceful," Merlin remarked dryly, causing Arthur to quickly stand again, attempting to look dignified but, in Merlin's eyes at least, failing spectacularly.

"Look who's decided to join us in the land of the living then."

"You can talk," Merlin muttered, pushing himself upright and leaning back against the wall, watching his master critically. Arthur looked awful; there could be no other word for it. Huge black circles shadowed his eyes and his skin was unnaturally pale. Yet his servant was not too concerned, for the spark was once more alight in Arthur's eyes, and when he grinned at his servant, Merlin found himself automatically grinning back.

"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked somewhat hesitantly, his tone clearly indicating that he was attempting to mask his worry, but, as with his attempt to look dignified, was failing.

"Oh wonderful," Merlin muttered wearily. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Long enough," Arthur responded cheerfully, rolling his shoulders to ease out the muscles. He hadn't been in the chair for that long, having only risen earlier that morning himself. Yet the trials and tolls of this never ending quest had clearly taken more out of him than he was prepared to admit, perhaps even realise. Besides, the chair had just been so comfortable and Merlin hadn't shown any signs of waking.

"Where is everyone?" Merlin suddenly asked anxiously, sitting upright, his eyes roaming the empty room anxiously. Watching him, Arthur sighed. Whilst he had a strong feeling that this was over, that Morgause would leave Merlin be at least for now, the way his eyes had widened in alarm at the room's emptiness suggested otherwise. It meant the prince was more than aware it would take some time before his servant would be ready to put this behind him. Arthur didn't expect him to; he had been through too much to simply shrug it off. Yet, despite his hopes that Merlin would come to terms with everything, he had a horrible feeling the boy would simply bottle it up. He had never truly known Merlin to be completely open when it came to his own feelings.

"Relax, you idiot, Nancy will have my hide if you get worked up. Endred is resting, Nancy is in the kitchens, probably terrifying someone, and Owain has left."

"Left?" Merlin yelped, wondering what could have happened to cause the loyal knight to desert them. After all, he had been asleep for the conversation the night before.

"Will you please relax?" Arthur barked, pressing a firm hand against Merlin's shoulder as the boy attempted to jump out of bed. Honestly, after everything, he still hadn't developed the ability to tell when there was something to worry about and when he was over-reacting.

"I needed him to take a message to my father," Arthur supplied, turning back around as he did so in order to prevent Merlin seeing the lie in his eyes. He wanted this to be a surprise, and it would do no good for the servant to start getting suspicious. Any further awkwardness was saved, however, as Nancy came bustling through the door, somehow managing to juggle two trays in a way that had Merlin raising his eyebrows. He never managed to carry _one _tray that gracefully, let alone two.

"Good morning my duckys," the maid announced cheerfully, flicking her gaze pointedly between Arthur and the chair, the look on her face making Merlin smirk. It appeared that the prince had not been given the choice initially about whether he wanted to sit down or not. With a slightly sulky look upon his face, Arthur did indeed sit, but soon smiled when one of the fully laden trays dumped itself in his lap.

"Nancy, you are the most wonderful person I have ever met." Looking astonished at the sincerity in Arthur's words, Nancy smiled over her shoulder at the sight of the prince already tucking in as she delivered an equally laden tray onto the bed next to Merlin.

"And as for you, young man, you are not leaving this bed until that is empty, am I understood?" Merlin, however, already had his mouth too full in order to coherently answer, instead tucking heartily in. He couldn't remember the last time he had tasted food this good; even the last meal at the manor had been somewhat tainted by the realisation that he may never discover who he was. Now, however, there was nothing between him and his appetite and, digging in, Merlin didn't notice Arthur stop his own attack against the food as both he and Nancy watched the servant in astonishment.

"Merlin?"

"Wha-?" Merlin half said, his mouth again being too full in order to form a proper sentence.

"Are you inhaling that?"

"You sound like Gaius."

"I guess this explains why you always get the hiccups then." Rolling his eyes, Arthur turned back to his own battle, not realising that his own speed was bordering on matching his servant's. After all, there was no way a prince could let his own manservant beat him.

After a few moments of silence, only filled by the sound of the meals disappearing at an astonishing rate, Merlin sat back with an explosive breath.

"Don't tell me I have to finish it all, I'll explode!" he moaned, his desperate gaze directed at Nancy as his eyes pleaded with her to let him out of bed. Tipping Arthur a wink, the maid pretended to deliberate.

"I'm not sure. You're his master, sire, what do you think?"

"I'm not sure either," Arthur responded slowly, pretending to peer critically at his servant.

"Please, Arthur…"

"He does still look a bit peaky, maybe he should stay there for another day." Unable to keep the laughter out of his voice as Merlin gazed at him in horror, Arthur stood up, stretching his arms above his head as he did so. He knew how much Merlin hated being stuck in bed, regardless of the state he was currently in.

"I'll… I'll polish your armour!" Merlin gabbled suddenly, trying to swing his legs out from under the covers, but was stopped by Arthur suddenly sitting down on the bed. Keeping the blankets trapped around his limbs, Merlin couldn't wiggle his way free.

"You're my servant, _Mer_lin; you have to do that anyway."

"Then I'll do it really badly if you don't let me up."

"Then I'll have you thrown in the stocks."

"Arthur, _please!_"Laughing openly at how frantic Merlin's pleads were becoming and the fact that he was fast realising he wouldn't be able to bribe Arthur into letting him up, the prince stood back up again.

"Alright. Meet me in the stables in an hour, we need to go."

"Already?"

"Yes, _Merl_in, already. And hurry up." And so saying, Arthur strode from the chambers, feeling the comforting weight of familiarity press back down on him. Not that long ago, he had been seriously wondering whether he was ever going to order Merlin to hurry up again, whether he would even _see _the servant again. As much as he would like to stay, he knew they had to get a move on if they were going to get there in time before Owain got back. Wandering down to the stable, Arthur decided to kill the time in choosing horses for himself and Merlin. Endred had immediately offered them to the prince when he found out they were missing their own, and Arthur prided himself in being able to pick good animals.

He had just chosen and generously tipped the stable boy to have them saddled up when Merlin came meandering in, his hair still wet and stuck up at odd angles from where he had obviously just bathed. He was in fresh clothes, and from what he could see of them, Arthur knew the bandages had been changed. Black circles still hung heavily around his eyes, but Merlin's colour had returned and his eyes were brighter than before. Nodding in approval, Arthur swung up onto the horse he had chosen for himself, motioning for Merlin to mount as well. Smiling gratefully as the stable boy handed him up the fresh packs Endred had ordered to have made up, Arthur took in a deep breath before nudging his horse into a trot. It was time to go home.

For a while, the two friends rode companionably side by side, neither knowing what to say, nor wanting to be the first to break the silence. Arthur was watching Merlin carefully out of the corner of his eye, knowing the servant wouldn't be able to keep the pace up for too long, yet knowing Merlin the way he did, knew full well he would not say anything. For his own part, Merlin was lost in his thoughts, trying to make sense of everything that had happened to them since they had last set off from Camelot. One thing he was sure about, however, was that it was going to be hard telling Gaius. In fact, providing he could keep his injuries hidden, Merlin was in half a mind not to let the physician know what had befallen them. He was not sure his mentor would take it too well, and the last thing Merlin wanted was to be forced into bed again.

Just when Arthur was beginning to relax, thinking that perhaps they might make it to their destination without having to stop, he suddenly caught sight of Merlin lolling somewhat precariously over his horse's neck. Frowning, the prince reined his own steed in, dropping back so that he was level with his servant. Watching him carefully, Arthur couldn't help but feel relieved when he realised Merlin had just fallen asleep. He had been worried that there would be something far more serious wrong with the boy. Reaching out a hand, Arthur grabbed hold of the reins, bringing the animal under his control before it took off with Merlin still on his back. As they both came to a stop, Arthur bit his lip, thinking furiously. They were so close, it would seem silly to stop, and it would only take them another hour to get there even with going at a walk. At the same time, he knew that he couldn't just leave Merlin like that; the boy was clumsy enough on a horse at the best of times, let alone when he was asleep.

Slipping down from his own horse, Arthur somehow managed to juggle both sets of reins in his hand before swinging himself up behind Merlin. Reaching around, he tied his own steed's reins to the back of the saddle, knowing the animal was well enough trained to follow without a fuss. Shifting Merlin further forward, Arthur slipped into the saddle himself, Merlin leaning back on him, his head resting against Arthur's chest as he slept on. Awkwardly reaching around and grabbing the reins once more, Arthur slowly nudged the horses into a slow walk, trying to keep them both under control whilst stopping Merlin falling off. Sometimes, the servant really didn't realise quite how far he pushed the master/servant boundary.

For his part, Merlin was remarkably comfortable. He didn't notice that he had fallen asleep, didn't feel Arthur navigate him into a comfier position, instead just giving in to his body's demand for respite.

"-rlin. Merlin. " Hearing a voice manage to make its way through his subconscious, Merlin shifted position slightly, but showed no signs of wanting to wake up.

"Merlin!" The voice was slightly more persistent this time, and groaning, Merlin tried to force his eyes open.

"Few min'ts more," he slurred, drowsiness not allowing his voice to work properly. Breathing in deeply, Merlin shifted again, and with a sudden yelp, found himself waking up rather abruptly as he began to fall. He had just managed to get his eyes open when an arm caught him around the chest. Glancing up over his shoulder, Merlin caught sight of the strained expression on Arthur's face as the prince desperately tried to stop Merlin falling off the horse. Frowning in confusion, Merlin unhooked his feet and dropped to the ground gently. Since when had Arthur been on the same horse as him?

"Wha-? Where are we? This isn't Camelot."

"Nope," Arthur responded cheerfully, leaping down from the horse himself before stretching his aching body out, grateful for the chance to move again. That had certainly not been one of the most comfortable rides in his life.

"Where are we?"

"Don't you know?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised in amusement as Merlin merely frowned at him.

"Merlin!" His head turning towards the voice, Merlin gaped in astonishment at the sight of his mother rushing towards him. His mouth hanging open, he turned back towards the prince, who grinned.

"Welcome home."

"How?" Merlin practically yelped, turning just in time to see his mother pull up short, her hand flying to her mouth in horror as tears glistened in her eyes. Cursing himself for not having warned the woman quite about the state of her son, Arthur realised that he had become used to the bruises that littered Merlin's face. He could still make out the faint marks around his throat from the first bandit attack, not to mention the bandages that were clearly visible. He had been so grateful for the fact that Merlin was alive; it had slipped his mind quite how things may appear to the boy's mother.

"Mother!" yelling out joyfully, Merlin had correctly interpreted his mother's sudden stop, and not wanting her to worry he sprinted forwards, enveloping her in a fierce hug. For a moment, Hunith seemed too stunned to react, but then wrapped her arms firmly around her son, and, despite the fact he towered over her, used one hand to stroke the back of Merlin's head lovingly. Averting his eyes from the open display of affection, Arthur set about leading the horses towards Merlin's old home. It seemed a lifetime ago since they had last been here. So much had changed since then.

Just as he drew level with mother and son, Hunith unwrapped herself from Merlin, whose smile was so wide it looked like his face would split in two. An understanding look passed between them, and Arthur didn't have time to react as his servant took the reins. Before Arthur could question what Merlin was doing, he too found himself swept into an embrace. If he was honest, the prince surprised himself by how quickly he relaxed into it, not being able to think of a single time he had been hugged like that.

"Thank you, sire," Hunith whispered into his ear, before pulling away, smiling somewhat shyly at him. Hearing Merlin begin to laugh behind him, Arthur snatched the reins back from his servant and began to walk off, knowing the back of his neck was burning. He hadn't managed to go more than a couple of steps before he felt Merlin jog up beside him, taking his own horse back from the prince. Side by side, the two led the horses around to the back of the house, Merlin tying them to a tree whilst nudging the beasts closer to the water trough at the same time.

Watching them drink in silence, Merlin spared his master a look.

"Thank you, sire."

"Ah, I just didn't fancy heading back to Camelot just yet," Arthur responded flippantly, not wanting to show how worried he had been about his servant. The idea had struck him during Morgause's second attack. Merlin could have easily died so many times on this quest, they all could have done. And whilst Uther, Gaius and the knights' families knew where they were, Merlin's mother had no idea what her son was sacrificing in order to be by Arthur's side. The fact that they had emerged still alive had meant Arthur thought it was about time Merlin visited Ealdor, but knowing how stubborn the boy was, knew he wouldn't simply leave Arthur to go.

"Merlin!" Frowning in confusion, Merlin glanced at Arthur, who once again had a smug grin on his face. He knew that voice.

Slowly turning around, Merlin felt his grin return full force as he took sight of the group of people standing in front of him.

"Gaius!" With a joyful yell, Merlin practically threw himself forward, being rewarded with one of the physician's rare hugs before the old man drew back and ran his eyes over him critically.

"Sire?" he asked, one gnarled hand firmly resting on Merlin's shoulder, his voice a tone Arthur knew only too well. "With your permission, I'd like to remove your servant and check him over properly."

"Of course, Gaius," Arthur responded, trying not to laugh at the look on Merlin's face. He knew full well why Gaius had approached the situation so formally – if he had tried to ask Merlin, the boy would have flatly refused. But by going through Arthur, Merlin found he had just been ordered to submit to an examination, and before he had time to protest, found himself quickly steered inside.

"You're looking better, Leon," striding forward, Arthur found himself surrounded by all of his knights.

"I met them on the way," Owain commented as a form of explanation, he himself looking far more refreshed than when Arthur had seen him off that morning. It wasn't anything physical, just the sparkle back in the man's eye, the relaxed posture of his shoulders showing how the tension had finally left him.

"It was remarkable, sire," Leon said quietly, unable to express his relief at seeing Arthur alive and well. "One minute I was unconscious, the next, absolutely fine."

Before Arthur could comment on the man's miraculous recovery, Owain once more cut in.

"Judging by their timing of events, I think it was when Pulchra died that Leon recovered."

"It would make sense," Arthur muttered, running a hand distractedly through his hair. He didn't realise how much he had missed the company of his men, how worried about them he had been until feeling the rush of relief hit him at seeing them all well again. It was indeed good to be back in their company as it had been too long considering everything they had been through together.

"Sire, my lords…" Hearing Hunith's hesitant voice as she appeared in the doorway, her posture clearly showing how uncomfortable she was at having the knights of Camelot in her garden.

"Supper is ready if any of you gentlemen are hungry?"

"We'd be delighted," Arthur responded, speaking for all of them. Giving his men a meaningful look, Arthur led the way in, knowing by the way they had squared their shoulders that they would be prepared to eat anything in their duty to Camelot.

Entering the house, Arthur realised immediately that it was going to be a slight squeeze to get them all in, but somehow they managed it. As Arthur entered the sleeping area of the house, he couldn't help but grin at Merlin's expression. Gaius had clearly finished examining his ward, and was in the process of giving Merlin a lecture on the importance of looking after himself. It was one that Arthur had been subjected to himself and he knew that Merlin received it on a regular basis.

"Sire!" Merlin yelled, seeing Arthur enter. Immediately jumping up, he scurried past Gaius, coming to stand next to the prince.

"Don't _ever_ do that to me again," he hissed under his breath, thankfully cutting the physician off mid-sentence. It wasn't exactly his own fault that he had ended up in such a state. And that was without telling him how he had lost his memory for a few days. Giving Merlin a mock shove, Arthur moved him out of the way as the knights filed in, Tristam immediately jumping up to help Hunith, who smiled gratefully at him.

Finally, as all the men took their places around the small table, they were ready. Merlin, however, was hovering somewhat uncertainly behind Arthur, clearly unsure of his position at the moment. How was he supposed to act? He was used to serving these men and even with their closer bonds on this quest, he was still the servant. Arthur, however, answered the question for him. Reaching with one arm, he didn't even look around. Instead, he just grabbed Merlin by the arm and pulled him over, shoving the boy down next to him without a word.

"It's your own house, Merlin," Owain commented with a smile, his spoon halfway to his mouth. Merlin smiled back, if a little hesitantly, but when the bowl got passed around to him, he soon forgot his discomfort.

"This, my lady," Percival commented with a small nod of his head, "is honestly the best meal I have had in days." To Merlin's amusement, his mother didn't say anything, but instead went an interesting shade of red he had never seen on her before.

"Merlin obviously didn't get his cooking skill from you then. He is _hopeless_..."

"Oh thanks," Merlin shot back, giving Arthur a wounded look as the rest of the knights began to laugh. "Besides, I'm better than you lot, at least I _can_ cook."

Hunith let out a small gasp at the casual way Merlin was addressing the knights and Gaius shot him a look in warning, but Merlin didn't care. He had not been tortured, lost his memory and battled against a powerful witch in order to be subservient in his own home.

"You set the rabbit on fire last time!"

"I was distracted!" Merlin responded heartily, remembering their argument in the clearing before the second bandit attack. "I was having an attack of sneezes in case you don't remember."

"What about the time before that? You forgot you were supposed to be cooking." This time, the insult was coming across the table from Gawain, but when Merlin glanced towards him, found that the man's eyes were sparkling with amusement. Desperately trying to remember the time he had forgotten to cook, Merlin suddenly remembered his missed night.

"That wasn't my fault either, I was supposed to be delirious, remember?" His words were light as the group tried to shrug off the nightmare that had been their lives for the last few months, but Merlin didn't notice his mother stiffening at his words.

"You _were _delirious, you had almost just drowned! You should have heard the nonsense you were spouting that night."

"No change there then," Arthur butted in, rolling his eyes at his servant, although a smile danced teasingly across his mouth. Silence fell for a moment, but finally Merlin was able to pluck up the courage to say what he wanted to.

"Leon?" As the knight looked up, Merlin gently smiled. "Thank you. All of you. For getting me out of that place. She… they…."

"You're welcome," Leon stated simply as Arthur gently squeezed Merlin's shoulder at seeing his servant drop his gaze to the table, slight trembles wracking his form. He knew the men knew better than him what Morgause had put Merlin through, but he had seen enough of the result to know it was a miracle Merlin had come through this alive. It would have been a blessing if Merlin hadn't remembered that part.

"Great job we did," Gawain muttered sullenly, remembering all too well the ashen look on Leon's face as he collapsed. "She only went and caught you again."

"She?" Gaius butted in, wondering who the young men were talking about. Merlin had refused to tell him how he had managed to gain all of those injuries, but judging by how some were still fresh, yet others were at least a few weeks old, the group had obviously met numerous troubles since they had set out from Camelot. A dark look shot around the table, yet none of the men seemed to want to name her. Eventually though, Merlin said it.

"Morgause. She came after us."

"Does she-?" Gaius' question hung unanswered in the air, his eyes locked with intensity on his ward. He knew he couldn't very well ask this in the middle of the knights, not to mention the prince, but had to know the answer.

"No," Merlin responded quietly, his eyes meeting Gaius'. Despite the horror she was feeling penetrate her at the way the men were joking about precisely what her son had gone through, Hunith couldn't help but smile gently. The bond between physician and warlock was stronger than she had ever hoped was possibly when she sent her son to stay in Camelot all those years ago. Watching him now, she knew precisely where he considered home, and part of that was in the company of the men surrounding him now. And that was regardless of the fact that they were all of noble birth.

"What?"

"Nothing, sire," Gaius responded evasively, avoiding eye contact with the prince. Silence fell again over the men, but before anyone could break it, Hunith shakily stood up.

"If you will excuse me, my lords," bobbing a quick curtsey, she all but fled the room. Catching Gaius' eye again, Merlin leant back where he was sitting to see her exit. To his utmost surprise, he hadn't even had the chance to move before Arthur had stood up, moving out towards where she had disappeared.

Ducking out through the doorway, Arthur soon found Hunith, her eyes locked on the forest they had emerged from only a few hours ago. As he approached, he soon noticed that her shoulders were shaking somewhat, and laying a comforting hand on one, Arthur silently joined her.

"I'll make you the same promise I made Gaius. I'll look after him."

"You can't always protect him, sire." Hunith whispered, making no attempt to disguise the tears slipping down her face. Every time there was news of an attack on Camelot, she knew Merlin was right in the thick of it, side by side with Arthur, fulfilling his destiny.

"The fool is pretty good at protecting himself, I've got to admit. Only Merlin would stubbornly refuse to wait behind whilst we went to confront a bloody dragon, of all things. And he came out of it unscathed. I swear he has more luck than anyone I know."

"He confronted the dragon?" Hunith asked, her voice shaking even further. She knew there was only one way Merlin could return from that unscathed, but that meant he would have had to meet the man she had kept hidden from him all these years…

"Among other things. I can't promise he will always be safe, Merlin is a magnet for trouble. But I can promise you I will do my best to keep him safe."

"Can you send him out?" Hunith asked hesitantly, not wanting to sound as if she was ordering the Crown Prince of Camelot to do something. Arthur nodded softly and gave her shoulder another squeeze before heading back in. He had matured so much in the last few years since he had come with Merlin to help save the village. Yet the bond he had with Merlin was clearly even stronger than then. She had sensed the words unspoken darting between them. And as much as she wouldn't tell Merlin, she had seen them approach the village. She had seen the way Merlin was leaning against Arthur, fast asleep, the prince guiding the animals as he let his servant rest. There was no way they were merely master and servant.

She didn't have long to wait until the soft footsteps behind her signaled her son's arrival seconds before his long arms wrapped themselves around her.

"I could have lost you," she whispered, twisting around in his embrace to cup his cheek with her hand, gazing intently into his eyes. His eyes that were so much like his father's. The man she was so desperate to tell Merlin about, who from Gaius and Arthur's accounts knew he had met, only to lose him again just as abruptly. Gaius had told her of how the man had died in her son's arms, yet she refused to fully comprehend what had happened to him.

"You'll never lose me," Merlin whispered gently, cupping her hand in his own. "Arthur may just think that I'm his clumsy servant, he has no idea what I can really do, who I really am."

"And he can't ever find out. But Merlin, look at the state of you. And that was with your gifts. They can't always protect you."

"I know," Merlin responded quietly, dropping his gaze. He had always thought that his magic meant he possessed some sort of invulnerability, but the case with the lake and what he had thought had been Freya had changed his mind. His magic hadn't worked against them and if it wasn't for Arthur's timely arrival – though he now believed Pulchra may have been behind that – then he would have drowned.

"But they will always be here to try," another voice suddenly cut into the conversation, and mother and son drew apart to see Gaius standing next to them. Placing his hand on Merlin's shoulder and draping his other around Hunith, the three family members stood together, side by side, watching the stars begin to come out. They didn't notice the rest of the group join them, a bond stronger than anything time had ever known before being formed in their midst.

"What happens now?" Merlin eventually asked, his voice searching out for Arthur in the dark.

"We go home. And then we tackle whatever the future throws at us. Together."

And that was precisely what they did. Uttering those words, Arthur Pendragon had no idea what the future held in store for them, didn't know how his life was about to be turned upside down. But what he did know, at that moment in time as he watched the moon glistening down on the small party taking refuge in a simple village, was that he would never have to face it all on his own.

**And that, folks, is it! Until next time then, don't forget to review and let me know what you think and I hope that you all have wonderful Christmas' and that all your wishes come true!**


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